Printing News - September 2019 by WhatTheyThink

September 2018

The Resource for Commercial, Sign & Digital Printing

Anniversary Issue 1928-2018 • PRINT 18 Red Hot Tech • Do More With Sheetfed

Frank Romano Looks Back whattheythink.com/r/91169

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Table of Contents

0 9

18 Opportunity Knocks: The Power of Print Embellishments The 21st Century digitally-applied drama that’s driving consumer engagement. By Joann Whitcher

22 Sir Speedy Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary The story of Franchise Services Inc.’s success: timing, strategy, and like-minded franchisee relationships. By Cary Sherburne

24 Why Print Remains So Important to an Increasingly Digital World How consumers’ affinity for print keeps it relevant in today’s digital world. By Laurie Weller

28 Innovation with Print Software How to deliver the data-driven solutions your customers want now. By Jennifer Matt

30 You Can Do More With Sheet-Fed It’s a new day with sheet-fed inkjet presses poised to challenge toner-based solutions. By Andy Gordon

32 Embracing Bindery Automation— It’s Time to Take the Leap The two-fold value proposition—proﬁtability and efficiency—worth investigating now. By Trish Witkowski

September 2018

N ws

On the Cover

The Changing Magnifying Glass: Printing News at 90 A tribute to the epitome of an inquiring spirit, devotion to accuracy, and scientific pursuit of perfection.

On the Cover

Hard Signage How digital signs can help increase productivity By Emily Shuler

By Richard Romano

42 Looking to Tap into the European Print Market? Know Where the Competition Really Is Low prices and vigorous entrepreneurship aren’t your only competitive challenges. By Morten Reitoft

44 Inside Technical Textiles: The Basics

Departments 8 48 58 64

Printing News Printing Pulse Wide-Format Printing Pulse New Products Classifieds/Supplier Directory

An introduction to these ‘new age’ printed textiles that offer a stunning array of functional applications. By Cary Sherburne

46 DPInnovations: A Complete web2fabric Workflow Solution Why truly capitalizing on the digital textile printing opportunity requires an end-to-end approach. By Cary Sherburne

52 Print Shop Pairs DTG Inkjet with DTG Dryer to Boost Quality, Capacity New garment printing technology raises the quality, production, and proﬁt bar for C&C Quality Printing.

56 Full STEAM Ahead: Blue Ridge Fab Lab and 4-H Partner to Offer 21st Century Learning—and Wide-Format Printing A potent partnership: STEM training plus hands-on practice piques the interest of our future workforce. By Richard Romano

In the Know Events: Labelexpo Americas 2018 Your window into the bold new future of label and package printing possibilities with live demonstrations of the technologies that match your ambition from leading manufacturers. www.labelexpo-americas.com September 25-27, Rosement, IL PRINT 18 At Chicago’s McCormick Place, come learn, connect, get business done, and experience the future of the graphic communications industry. www.PRINTevent.com September 30-October 2, Chicago, IL SGIA Expo Connect with peers and suppliers, explore the latest print technologies and trends, and learn from industry experts among 550+ exhibitors. www.SGIAExpo.org October 18 - 20, Las Vegas, NV

34 Red Hot Technology— PRINT 18 ‘Must See’ Products Preview just some of the groundbreaking new products you’ll ﬁnd in Chicago this month.

Columns 27 Thoughts on Marketing Print and Direct Mail Services By Patrick Whelan

40 Pricing within a Class 41 Managing a Multi-Generational Workforce By Debra Thompson

53 One Step Ahead of the Shoe Shine

Search for us...

55 Defining the Future—Together

@PrintingNews

Exclusive Section

• Why White Ink is an Irreplaceable Tool for PSPs

By Thayer Long

66 How Digital Signs Can Help Increase Productivity By Emily Shuler

By Dave Fellman

Focusing on Production Inkjet's Next Frontier

• Top Tips on Successful Print & Mail Marketing

By Lori Anderson

By Tom Crouser

Sister Publication

54 International Sign Association Announces Launch of ISA-UK, Powered by British Sign & Graphics Association

Printing News

PLAYIN ING WITH INK & MEDIA A

60-Second Super-Cool Fold of the Week #409 PrintingNews.com/12380206

Inkjet’s Age focuses on the issues surrounding inkjet printing technology. It covers the industry news, trends, products, services, and management issues that will help printers grow business using this technology.

PrintingNews.com @WideFormatSign wideformatsignage

linkedin.com/ groups/1780044

SOCIAL MEDIA & ONLINE CONTENT

Printing News

September 2018

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Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and elsewhere. All other referenced product names and marks are trademarks of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged. ©2018 Canon Solutions America, Inc. All rights reserved.

For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/10006967

877-623-4969 CSA.CANON.COM

VP, GROUP PUBLISHER

Printing News:

90 Years Young…

his month we celebrate the very first edition of Printing News and the long lifespan of the brand we are fortunate enough to still be publishing. None of this would be possible without the hard work of many people, but most of all Leo and Florence Joachim, who in 1928 launched a weekly newspaper for the print market in New York City. You can read about them in Richard Romano’s Anniversary column starting on page 12. I was recently riding a Waverunner under the Brooklyn Bridge and in the Hudson River, checking out the huge buildings and vast architecture of New York City. I couldn’t help but reflect on what Leo and Florence must have endured to produce this magazine every week. No computers, no cell phones, no GPS, and no Internet. The things that we and especially our children take for granted that allow for daily communication today had not yet been invented. Printing was an entirely different animal—and a much harder process to fulfill. Today, after working in publishing in this industry for 25 years, I feel extremely fortunate to become a partner in WhatTheyThink with Eric Vessels and Adam Dewitz and to be given the opportunity to continue this iconic brand and see it flourish into the next generation. This brings the largest subscriber base and group of contributing writers to market led by Richard Romano and including Cary Sherburne, Trish Witkowski, Jennifer Matt, David Zwang, Tom Crouser, Dave Fellman, John Giles, Joe Rickard, Heidi Tolliver-Walker, Joann Whitcher, and our affiliation with APTech, Idealliance, ISA, SGIA, and others. Reflecting on the past seems like a natural thing to do and this journey started for me in Port St. Lucie, Fla., working for Rob Schweiger at Coast Publishing. Rob created and launched Quick Printing magazine in 1977 as part of the National Association of Quick Printers (NAQP). He is a true mentor, friend, great businessman, and confidant and I am grateful he gave a young girl a chance to prove herself. When Quick Printing was acquired in 1995 by PTN Publishing, the sisterhood between Quick Printing and Printing News began. Stan Sills owned PTN as well as Southern Graphics, Printing Views, Print & Graphics, and two publications would be acquired that would shape the future, including Micro Publishing News and Modern Reprographics (now Wide-Format & Signage) bringing Richard Romano, Jim Cavuoto, and Ed Avis into the family. Afterward, Jim and Ed moved on to other ventures. Printing industry trade publishing consolidation has been the norm and B2B has certainly been part of that process; before long, Quick Printing and Printing News would merge to reflect the changing dynamics of the print market. The Wide-Format & Signage supplement continues to be a cutting-edge brand and will serve the market better in the future as we take advantage of the personalization capabilities we have been writing about for years, starting with the first ever combined content issues with variable covers. Some of you will receive the Printing News cover and some will receive the Wide-Format & Signage News cover, based on how you have subscribed to our content. But, since content is king, all our print content will reach the entire subscriber database of over 76,000. Look for more exciting changes to come in print and online with WhatTheyThink.com and the re-launch of PrintingNews.com as Eric, Adam, and I dig in and make strategy decisions to help serve the community with thought leadership from the best of the best including incredible technologies existing today that would likely make Leo and Florence proud—or at least I’d like to think so. Regards, Kelley Holmes VP, Group Publisher

Printing News

September 2018

Kelley Holmes kelley@whattheythink.com 800-616-2252 x8511

COO Adam Dewitz adam@whattheythink.com 800-616-2252

PRESIDENT Eric Vessels eric@whattheythink.com 800-616-2252

MANAGING EDITOR Richard Romano richard@whattheythink.com 518-290-6584

GUEST EDITOR Debbie Vieder deb@vieder.com 240-731-1358

SENIOR EDITOR Cary Sherburne cary@whattheythink.com 603-430-5463

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tom Crouser Dave Fellman John Giles Jennifer Matt Joe Rickard Julie Shaffer Christopher A. Smith

Debra Thompson Heidi Tolliver-Walker Laurie Weller Patrick Whelan Joann Whitcher Trish Witkowski David Zwang

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Paul Zimmerman paul@whattheythink.com 800-616.2252 x8515

PRODUCTION MANAGER Connie Wolf cwolf@endeavorb2b.com 800-616-2252 x1679

ART DIRECTOR Barbara Pineiro bpineiro@endeavorb2b.com 800-616-2252 x6316

CIRCULATION Jackie Dandoy jdandoy@endeavorb2b.com 800-547-7377 x1711

SUBSCRIPTION CUSTOMER SERVICE For change of address or subscription information, call: 877-382-9187; fax: 847-291-4816 email: circ.PrintingNews@omeda.com mail: PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257

ARTICLE REPRINTS Please contact your account executive

.com

PUBLISHED BY WTT Media, Inc. 2038 Ford Parkway #218, Saint Paul, MN 55116 800-616-2252 PrintingNews.com PrintingNews.com—the web portal representing content from Printing News, Wide-Format & Signage, and Inkjet’s Age—is devoted to delivering you timely news and multimedia content on a daily basis. Printing News (ISSN 2380-5056) (USPS 500-850) Volume 41, Number 11 is published ten times per year in January, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November and December by WTT Media, LLC, at 2038 Ford Parkway #218, Saint Paul, MN 55116. Periodicals postage paid at Saint Paul, MN 55116 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Printing News, PO Box 3257, Northbrook, IL 60065-3257. Canada Post PM40612608. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Printing News, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Subscriptions: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the U.S. to qualified subscribers. Publisher reserves the right to reject non-qualified subscriptions. Subscription prices: U.S. $47 per year, $91 two year; Canada/Mexico $69 per year, $128 two year. All other countries $101 per year, $191 two year. All subscriptions payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank. Canadian GST#842773848. Back issue $10 prepaid, if available. Printed in the USA. Copyright 2018 WTT Media, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recordings or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. WTT Media Inc. does not assume and herby disclaims any liability to any person or company for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions in the material herein, regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever. The views and opinions in the articles herein are not to be taken as official expressions of the publishers, unless so stated. The publishers do not warrant, either expressly or by implication, the factual accuracy of the articles herein, nor do they so warrant any views or opinions offered by the authors of said articles.

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For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/10005229

Printing Pulse Minuteman Press International Named a Top Franchise for Women by Franchise Business Review

as well as our core values. It is fantastic to see that our female franchise owners provided direct feedback to Franchise Business Review that puts Minuteman Press on their 2018 Top Franchises for Women list,” says Bob Titus, Min-

Minuteman Press International, the world’s

uteman Press International president & CEO.

largest and #1 rated marketing and printing

Franchise Business Review performs inde-

franchise, has been named a 2018 Top Fran-

pendent surveys of franchisee satisfaction.

chise for Women by independent franchise

Their franchise rankings are based solely on actual franchisee feedback, satisfaction, and

market research firm Franchise Business

performance. “The franchise industry provides many options to

Review. Minuteman Press International was among 240 franchise

women seeking business ownership,” says Michelle Rowan, pres-

brands representing nearly 6,000 female franchise owners that

ident of Franchise Business Review. “The number of franchise

participated in Franchise Business Review’s research on the Top

opportunities can be overwhelming, so it’s critical to examine

Franchises for Women. Minuteman Press franchisees were sur-

feedback from other female franchise owners on how well the

veyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and

franchise meets their expectations in terms of support, work/life

satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems,

balance, ﬁnancial opportunity, and other key areas of business

including leadership, training and support, ﬁnancial opportunity,

ownership.”

and work/life balance.

PrintingNews.com/12423705

“At Minuteman Press, we are proud of our franchise system

Steve Bennett Returns to Fujifilm to Lead Packaging Segment North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division announces the return of Steve Bennett, in the role of vice president of packaging solutions, to lead efforts and drive growth within the packaging segment. Throughout his previous 20 years at Fujifilm, Bennett made significant contributions in a variety of roles, including sales, product marketing and development, corporate communications, wide format solutions, and electronic imaging. Most recently, Bennett served as vice president of sales, North America, at Esko-Graphics, Inc., a company with a product portfolio dedicated to supporting the packaging and print processes for brand owners, retailers, pre-media and trade shops, packaging manufacturers, and converters. Bennett was responsible for top-line sales and income contribution for all solutions. Esko is a strategic partner of Fujifilm and its products will continue to be an integral part of Fujifilm’s packaging strategy. “I am very pleased Steve has chosen to return to Fujifilm,” said Todd Zimmerman, division president, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division. “With over 35 years of industry experience, his background encompasses both analog and digital print technologies, and his knowledge of the packaging segment makes him uniquely qualified to define future product solutions. Steve will optimize our go-to market product and service strategy, and achieve our growth goals in the packaging segment, one of the critical growth areas for Fujifilm.”

PrintingNews.com/12423996

Printing News

September 2018

Joe Radgowski joins Window Book as Mailing Systems Specialist Window Book is proud to announce the addition of Joe Radgowski as Mailing Systems Specialist. Joe is a mailing and logistics management professional with more than 25 years of experience in mail and print and supply chain related management roles. His distinguished career has included positions with World Marketing, Sull Graphics, ACE Mailing Systems and Power Design, Inc. Joe’s extensive background in supply chain management, warehouse operations and mailing soft ware is a critical addition to the Window Book team as we expand the logistics connectivity and scan-based warehouse management offerings in our soft ware solutions. Joe will work with Window Book’s clients and product management team to make sure our new solutions meet client needs. Joe has a Bachelor of Science degree in Operations Management from Drexel University.

PrintingNews.com/12423909

PrintingNews com

UNLEASH THE POWER OF AUTOMATION.

Xerox® FreeFlow® Core We designed FreeFlow® Core to ﬁt any print shop, small or large. And because it uses intelligent automation, you build each workﬂow once and it automates again and again. So you’re free to lower costs, eliminate manual touches and maximize productivity.

xerox.com/workﬂow

For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/10008702

Printing Pulse Taopix Appoints Former Lulu.com CEO as Executive Chairman Taopix has appointed Nigel Lee

with the contribution Nigel has made to our business so

as Executive Chairman. Lee will

far. The opportunity to have someone on the team full-

head up the executive team taking

time who speaks ‘ﬂuent customer’ is an opportunity not to

direct responsibility for all com-

be missed,” explains Gray. “Having led Lulu.com, Nigel is

mercial and ﬁ nancial aspects of

uniquely positioned to see our product from the end con-

the business.

sumer’s perspective and not least through the eyes of our

Nigel Lee joined the Taopix Board of Directors in Q4 2017 and has been working closely with the senior team since then.

customer,” he continues. Prior to Lulu.com, Lee had built a successful track record in growing software companies in the Finance and Banking

“Since joining the Board last year Nigel has helped us

Technology space. Lee has over 28 years of experience in

enormously in sharpening our focus, improving our work-

commercial software and has occupied an executive role for

ing practices and helping us deﬁne our core strategy for

the last 19 of those 28 years.

growth across all aspects of our business,” says James Gray,

In his role of Executive Chairman, Nigel Lee will take full

founder and CEO of Taopix. “It was a natural step for me

ﬁnancial and commercial responsibility including compa-

asking Nigel to take more of an active role in helping us

ny strategy, ﬁnance, sales and marketing and professional

execute on our plans. I was delighted when he said yes,”

services. James Gray retains the position of CEO with a pri-

continues Gray.

mary focus on product and technology. Together, Gray and

Taopix ﬁrst met Nigel Lee during his tenure as CEO of

Lee will lead Taopix on an ambitious growth path further

Lulu.com, the global market leader in online independent

cementing the ﬁrm’s global market leadership position in

publishing. Lulu.com became a customer of Taopix and both

the photo commerce software industry.

CEOs maintained a regular strategic dialogue.

PrintingNews.com/12425454

“Myself and the team have been continually impressed

Kodak Announces Plans to Sell Its Flexographic Packaging Division Kodak announced it has begun a process

age the company and we believe this is

to sell its Flexographic Packaging Divi-

the right time to monetize this valuable

sion. Kodak’s Flexographic Packaging

asset,” said Kodak CEO Jeff Clarke.

Division (FPD) produces and markets

Kodak also announced it had entered

the FLEXCEL NX system of ﬂexographic

into a non-binding letter of intent for a

imaging equipment, printing plates, con-

$400 million, 18-month loan with an

sumables and related services. For the

existing term loan lender which would

last 12 months, FPD reported revenues of

reﬁnance its existing term debt, which

$150 million and Operational EBITDA of

would permit the company to pursue

$33 million. During this period, FPD has

“This is a great opportunity to unlock

the sale process of FPD in a thoughtful

demonstrated strong growth, achieving

value for shareholders given the strong

manner in order to achieve maximum

a nine percent increase in revenue and

interest we have received in the Flexog-

value for shareholders. Net proceeds

18 percent Operational EBITDA growth.

raphic Packaging Division. FPD has per-

from the sale of FPD will ﬁrst be used to

FPD currently employs a staff of approx-

formed exceptionally well over the past

repay this loan.

imately 300 people.

ﬁve years and has become a signiﬁcant

Kodak will continue to focus on the

During the sale process, Kodak will

player in the industry. This business is

demonstrated growth areas of SONORA

continue to make signiﬁcant invest-

an excellent example of Kodak incubat-

environmental plates, enterprise inkjet,

ments in FPD by expanding manufac-

ing and bringing disruptive innovation

workﬂow software and brand licensing.

turing capacity, developing advanced

to the marketplace. Kodak has been eval-

PrintingNews.com/12425343

technology and increasing its headcount

uating monetization opportunities for

to meet customer needs.

the last several years in order to delever-

Printing News

September 2018

PrintingNews com

For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/10006791

The Changing Magnifying Glass:

0 9 At

1928-2018

Printing News

September

2018

PrintingNews com

From the start, the focus of Printing News was local news, and being based in Manhattan—the epicenter of printing and publishing—meant that there was always something going on. And with many clubs and groups, there was no dearth of news, and Leo would tirelessly attend as many of those events as he could—a habit he continued throughout his career.

“T

here’s a man with a magnifying glass in every printing plant, every engraving shop, every advertising agency and publishing firm. He’s the man who handles the thousand and two details of production; and that magnifying glass of his is used for checking proofs, engravings, typography, and presswork. More than that, the glass is a symbol of his attitude of mind, his inquiring spirit, his devotion to accuracy, his scientific pursuit of perfection. The man not only knows the importance of details, but searches them out actively, persistently, and with infinite patience.”

Riffi ng on a Rembrandt painting in a famous introduction to the Ninth Graphic Arts Production Yearbook, Leo Joachim perhaps summed up his own indefatigable work habits, a work ethic that would lay the groundwork for a publication that is now one decade shy of a century old. It is impossible to talk about Printing News—which celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2018—without discussing its founder, Leo H. Joachim. Born in 1898 in Brooklyn, N.Y., he attended the prestigious Boys High School in Brooklyn (its other famous alumni included Isaac Asimov, Aaron Copland, and Howard Cosell—now, there’s a high school reunion that would be worth attending), and it was as editor-in-chief of the Boys High School Recorder where Leo caught the publishing bug. It wasn’t just publishing, though; in addition to editing the school paper, he headed the school’s honor group and was president of the Dramatic Society. Indeed, his second love after publishing was theater. (At one point in his career, he was involved with the company that published Playbill, perhaps the emblematic convergence of publishing and theater.) After high school, Leo attended Columbia College and was an alumnus of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. His fi rst professional venture was as editor and co-publisher of a weekly community newspaper published out of Forest Hills, N.Y., which he co-launched with a scant $200 (even by early 20th-century standards and adjusting for inflation, that was not a lot with which to start a newspaper) and the kindness of a local printer. While still in school, he contributed political and economics articles for public affairs weekly The Public, and was later asked to join the staff—although the publication itself was not long for the world. “Just my luck,” he would later remark. “The magazine had been published weekly since 1898 and six months after I joined it, it went out of business.” He bounced back and landed a job as assistant editor of The American Food Journal, which gave him a taste, so to speak, of trade publishing. He would also dabble in book publishing, including a stint with Thomas Seltzer, a literary book publisher that first published D.H. Lawrence in the U.S. Leo would head back to trade publishing, which is where he would ultimately make his mark, co-founding Cord Age

PrintingNews com

Magazine in 1922 with his old friend and partner Arthur Freund. It showed him the ropes, as it were, of hands-on publishing, and, in a preview of things to come, he personally edited 312 issues of Cord Age—and was even known to write entire issues himself. (That publication continued until 1948.) Joachim and Freund would found several other publications—The Commissary Manager and the fi rst of four graphic arts books: Bookbinding Magazine, which they launched in 1925. Bookbinding was a unique concept at the time; in the mid-20s, the Big Th ree trade magazines—Printing Magazine, Inland Printer, and American Printer—were general printing publications, and there had never been a publication devoted to one particular aspect of the industry (in this case, bookbinding). At that time, running a printing industry trade publication was no easy task. It’s hard for us in trade publishing today to imagine it, but there were no such things as industry press releases back then. All industry news had to be actively and doggedly pursued, so Leo would attend every industry event or meeting he could, and there were a lot of them to choose from, as there were myriad clubs, associations, and organizations—The Trade Book Clinic of the AIGA (American Institute of the Graphic Arts) and the Bookbinder’s Guild, to name two at whose events Leo became a permanent fi xture. And thus it was in February 1928 that Leo again launched another landmark in the printing industry trade press: Printing News, the fi rst regional newsmagazine for the industry. (Southern Printer, Western Printer, Chicago’s Printing Views, and—here’s one for the old-timers—Cody’s of Kissimmee, all came later.) In retrospect, it may not seem like the most auspicious time to launch a new publication, but no one knew that the Great Depression was just around the corner. But even during the worst depths of the Depression, Printing News never missed a weekly issue. (Actually, the printing industry itself did very well during the Depression; there was no other mass communication medium at the time—radio was still in its earliest phases—so anyone who needed to get the word out about...well, anything...had no choice but to use print. Those were the days, as the old theme song goes...) Copies of the earliest issues of Printing News have been

September 2018

Printing News

Printing News through the years

1928 The earliest extant issue of Printing News: the March 4, 1928 issue.

1935 A cover from 1935. Even during the worst of the Great Depression, Printing News never missed a single weekly issue.

1988 60 years young: Printing News from March 1988.

2001 Post September 11, 2001, shutting down the PRINT 01 trade show in Chicago.

2008 September 2018

The Resource for Commercial, Sign & Digital Printing

Anniversary Issue 1928-2018

2008: Still a newspaper format, Printing News soon after merged with Quick Printing.

2018

Looking forward to the next 90 years!

Printing News

September

2018

lost to the ages—who would have thought to save copies of a regional newsmagazine?—but the ﬁ rst extant issue that could be unearthed is issue number four from March 1928. The top headlines at the time centered on a recent study showing that book publishers still considered New York City to be the center of the publishing universe, and that elsewhere the Gotham printing scene was expanding. Good times.

It is impossible to talk about Printing News— which celebrates its 90th anniversary in 2018— without discussing its founder, Leo H. Joachim. From the start, the focus of Printing News was local news, and being based in Manhattan—the epicenter of printing and publishing—meant that there was always something going on. And with many clubs and groups, there was no dearth of news, and Leo would tirelessly attend as many of those events as he could—a habit he continued throughout his career. The magazine’s advertising base was also similarly local, and Printing News was for all intents and purposes the industry’s “Yellow Pages” for anyone looking for printing and related services pretty much all along the Atlantic seaboard. In its first three decades of existence—the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s—Printing News generated 1,756 issues and

PrintingNews com

For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/10006967

Printing News Artifacts

que given to Leo Joachim from the Club Plaque of Printing Women. His wife Florence was president of the club in 1955.

A set of bound volumes of Printing News (1928–1988) is part of the library at the Museum of Printing.

Column featuring original photoengravings from Printing News issues past at the Museum of Printing in Haverhill, Mass.

Printing News celebrated its 50th anniversary. Who knew it would continue for another 40 years (at least)?

30,000+ pages—almost every one of which Leo personally edited or signed off on. He would launch the annual Graphic Arts Production Yearbook in 1934 and the full-color monthly digest-sized Productionwise (famous for its artistic covers) in 1953, but neither of those had the staying power of Printing News. Leo was also very “hands-on”—Printing News never had a very large staff. (Those were the days when virtually all prepress and production were handled by the printer.) One of his stalwart business—and eventually personal—partners was his wife, Florence Joachim, née Shera, who in 1955 had been president of the Club of Printing Women of N.Y. Leo was working on Printing News right up to the end—in 1985, he had a fatal heart attack while working on Printing News. Florence continued the publication for a short time after his death—but she could never match Leo’s pace, and sold the magazine in the late 1980s. The ownership and focus of Printing News may have changed in the 33 years since Leo left us—it’s now a monthly, national in scope, and part of the WhatTheyTh ink family— but its current publishers strive to produce it under the auspices of Leo Joachim’s guiding spirit. And even if that magnifying glass has evolved into more digital and electronic tools, we still endeavor to focus on the importance of details, searching them out actively, persistently, and with inﬁ nite patience. Frank Romano also contributed to this article.

A flag for a latter-day Printing News cover. Those were the days of letterpress printing.

Printing News

September

2018

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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS:

The Power of No shrinking violets here: print that glitters, that screams, that says look at me!

Scodix Chocolate Box

IPMA California Califor ornia niaa Ed Educational Conference info printed by MGI Scodix Silent Expressions EEmily Simmons Embellishment Sample

In March 2015, Heret Printing, based in Yavne, Israel, installed the latest version of the MGI JETvarnish 3D Digital Spot UV and inline iFOIL system to produce personalized 3D spot coating and embossed hot foil stamping applications for all of their digital and offset presses, including the HP Indigo 30000.

By Joann Whitcher Joann Whitcher is a multi-platform communications professional with more than two decades of experience in creating audience-engaging content relating to graphic communications technology and marketing, foodservice, and general topics. She produces high-level content for articles, custom publishing supplements, niche publications, websites, social media, press releases, inserts, newsletters and marketing communications for B2B publications, online resources. and small business clients.

he power of embellishments to engage the consumer changes the conversation on the viability of print in the 21st century. Particularly when those embellishments are applied digitally. Keypoint Intelligence-InfoTrends reports from its analysis that digital print enhancements can result in a rapid return on investment, with print service providers able to realize margins that range from 50% to 400% percent. For the PSP’s customer, the news is equally good. A 2016 study commissioned by the Foil &

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2018

Specialty Effects Association demonstrated the high impact of visibility enhancements on shelf presence: • Enhanced products were identified 45% quicker by shoppers • Enhanced products held attention 18% longer than print-only products • Average time to identify two seconds. Digital print finishing combines the benefits of digital printing with eye-catching, high touch finishing. Gone are dies, screens, or the need for re-tooling, cutting production and labor costs. Whether printing 1 or 10,000, the process deliv-

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ers the ability to change graphics or text on the fly, to personalize and customize the printed piece, and to deliver quick turnaround. Digital finishing dovetails well with trends impacting the consumer landscape at large. In this age of the selfie, brands can provide their customers with unique printed material or packaging, and also satisfy the craving for engagement that is more experiential than a traditional printed piece. With digital print finishing, PSPs and converters can create as many different versions as they would like to show their customers, options that the customer may have not considered, ultimately helping to strengthen and elevate the printer-customer relationship, says Jack Noonan, marketing coordinator, MGI USA.

More options The options for print providers and trade finishers looking to add digital finishing to their core services continue to expand. Newest to the block, Xerox launched the Iridesse this past spring, following two years of R&D and beta testing. Iridesse offers the ability to incorporate digital finishing in a single pass, a game-changer in its own right. Sales are exceeding expectations. “We knew the product was going to do well, but it is much better than we anticipated,” says Ragini Mehta, VP and general manager, Cut Sheet Business, Xerox. “We know that the Iridesse does something very unique in the marketplace, adding embellishments in single pass.” MGI launched the first JETVarnish, a digital 2D spot UV solution, in 2008, creating in effect the digital finishing category. It added to its offerings with the JETVarnish digital 3D and JETvarnish 3D + iFOIL embellishment solutions. Digital enhancement presses include the JETvarnish 3D Evolution B1+ JetVarnish 3D web roll-fed; the Meteor Unlimited Colors Series integrated digital print & foiling press; and its latest release, the JETvarnish 3D web flexible packaging & label enhancement press. Each JETvarnish 3D system possesses an intelligent registration system, the AIS SmartScanner, to treat each printed piece as a separate unique job to ensure design quality and accuracy. Scodix announced its first entry into the field in 2010, with the Scodix 1200 digital embossing press, accommodating medium-length and long runs as well as handling variable

The Scodix Ultra2 Pro Digital Enhancement Press with Foil Station.

data embossing. “We now offer a wide range of platforms and applications, starting at the entry level with the Scodix S75, through the Scodix Ultra2Pro to the Scodix E106 and covering a variety of applications,” explains Lynn Kolevsohn, Scodix

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MGI JETvarnish 3D Web

marketing director. For special effects, Scodix offers a total of nine different applications, from metallics, foil, Sense, to glitter, crystals, and holographic, all on one system. Its latest offering, the Scodix Ultra2 Pro with Foil, a multi-material system, enables commercial PSPs and folding-carton converters to produce enhancements for a range of applications.

Opportunity calls For print providers, there is a massive opportunity for digital print enhancement within promotional printing applications. Digital print finishing is a large emerging market opportunity, with only a very small piece of the print enhancement market converted to digital methods. Around 30% of color pages receive some sort of special effects enhancement, while only 0.5% of those are being enhanced with a digital process. Or to put it another way: there are 1.9 trillion pages enhanced using traditional, analog methods, compared to 9 billion pages digitally. “Digital special effects that MGI’s JETvarnish creates deliver a more meaningful and more impactful print experience for print users,” says Noonan. “While flat CMYK images can be very beautiful, they don’t have the texture or raised dimensionality and won’t have memorable transfer of information to the consumer/shopper. Standalone digital print enhancement technology can embellish output from traditional offset/flexo and digital production processes. Offset printers will particularly appreciate the ability to handle these value-added special effects in shorter runs and with quick turnaround. Labelexpo Americas in Chicago will serve as the official commercial release of the JETvarnish 3D web digital enhancement press. Representatives from MGI and partner Konica Minolta will be at the show. “It’s the first roll-to-roll digital enhancement press in the world,” says Noonan. “It was shown first at drupa 16, and has been at select customer sites since, but Labelexpo serves as the launch site. It can produce both 2D and 3D embossed spot coating over offset, digital, or flexo output.” The label and flexible output is “the hottest and fastest growing segment of the graphic arts industry, because of demographics,” he observes. Citing the phenomenon of the Coca-Cola cans personalized with names, millennial and Generation Z-ers are big on buying brand items personalized and then posting their find on social media. “It’s a good example of the power of digital finishing to connect with

September 2018

Printing News

The popular choice

Xerox Iridesse Production Press produces iridescent colors and specialty embellishments including metallic gold or silver dry ink, CMYK and clear dry ink in a single pass.

end users and their customers in a big way,” adds Noonan. “We’re in a highly competitive industry, where staying competitive is not always enough,” says Kolevsohn. “Print needs to provide additional sense, feel, touch that cannot be achieved with CMYK only. At Scodix we provide a full set of tools and applications that can suit any job and task in order to make it really special. Our customers are adding Scodix foil to business cards, adding Scodix Sense and touch to other commercial applications, and through this they provide the unique qualities their customers demand.” The Scodix Ultra2 Pro with Foil was recently installed at Graphic Village LLC, a 90-year-old independent print marketing company in Cincinnati. It is looking to promote its new offerings by adding Scodix effects to clients’ completed work and then showing those clients what is possible with the creative and campaigns they are already producing. COO Danny Bailey cited Graphic Village’s ability to show its customers the power of one-to-one marketing. The development of the Iridesse was generated by Xerox’s read on the press embellishment market – its iGen5 and color presses both have ability to do 5 stations – and listening to customers’ talk about the single pass factor. A huge selling point, Mehta says, is the productivity of the Iridesse, which outputs at the press’ rated speed of 120 fpm, whether it is imaging 4,5,6

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colors in standard CMYK or metallics or spot colors are added, in single media or mixed media. Since it dries in a single pass, customers don’t have to worry about registration. Still relatively new to the market, “customers are playing around with it, which is what we wanted them to do,” notes Mehta. “They are teaching us some of the new applications. One of our customers is running an underlay metallic coating with a CMYK coating overlay and then a clear overlay on top, to add the dimensionality aspect.” Bill Conlin, president of PA-based digital print shop Conlin’s, purchased the Iridesse in June and had it up and running two weeks later. “Our customers always want something new and better, and we were looking for opportunities to enhance our production in the digital environment,” says Conlin. “It lets us offer a game-changing product that no one else has, or that they are trying to produce on little machines that aren’t production machines.” The 30-year-old shop, with customers in healthcare and pharma, real estate, software, and engineering, is looking to provide its corporate customers with something out of the ordinary to capture their customers’ attention. “There are a lot of ways you can use it,” notes Conlin. “It doesn’t always have to be razzle dazzle; it can also be something that adds just a bit more to CMYK.” To help promote the Iridesse’s capabilities, Conlin’s is taking customer ﬁles and enhancing them, and then presenting it to their customers.

September

2018

Scodix Foil is a popular choice among its customers, notes Kohveson. “The Scodix Foil application is designed for short- to medium-runs, particularly where print providers are outsourcing or working through lengthy and costly makeready processes,” she says. “Scodix Foil delivers what customers demand – digitally creating a brilliant foil effect in-house with no waste or mess. The application deploys a range of hot and cold industry-standard foil fi lms coupled with a variety of substrates, including offset, digital, plastics, laminated/non-laminated, and coated/uncoated to deliver high-quality business and greeting cards, folders, book covers, brochures, labels, packaging and more.” A key trend that we are seeing at most advanced printers is variable data embossed foil, reveals Noonan. Minneapolis, MN-based Embossing Plus used its JETvarnish 3D Evo to produce serialized “limited collector editions” of prized album covers for vinyl music records and create deluxe, customized folders for Minnesota Vikings Stadium Suites. A new business growth area for Embossing Plus is managing complex mail and packaging projects for a range of clients, including brands, agencies, in-plants, converters, and traditional commercial printing fi rms, leveraging the system’s ability to personalize names on mail pieces with variable data and customize boxes and labels with embossed foil designs. To generate serious ROI, PSPs only need low utilization rates (30% or less) with in-line or off-line systems, reports Noonan. But to get the most from the system, output needs to be properly promoted and priced; the key factor to achieving higher margins is effectively upselling the print enhancement. Th is isn’t a commodity sell, Noonan asserts; leverage your digital fi nish system to compete on unique applications to sell at higher margins.

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Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary

ranchise Services, Inc. is pretty proud of the fact that Sir Speedy is 50 years young and growing. Don Lowe, CEO at Franchise Services, points out that the average business in the U.S. only lives for seven years. In this interview, he and his son, Richard, President and COO, talk about the history of the company, its current state, and what they are looking for in the future.

WhatTheyThink: Don, perhaps we could start with an overview of the various components of the Franchise Services business. Don Lowe: Sure. Sir Speedy is our largest and has the highest average volume and number of centers. Sir Speedy is 50 years old this month. PIP, which I believe is the oldest brand in the industry, has been in the business for 53 years. And Signal Graphics, which is mostly in the Colorado area and has 12 centers left, is the third component of the U.S. business. It’s small, but it was a good investment for us. In The Netherlands, we have MultiCopy which has 67 locations in the country. And our fastest growing franchise is TeamLogic IT, a computer services business. There are 147 centers today, but we are opening five more each in August and September and should be at 170 centers by year end. These franchises are growing at a rate of 31% per year and have been doing so for the last three or four years. The top volume there is in the $5.5 to $6 million range. WTT: So you got into the print franchise business with Sir Speedy. What’s the story there? DL: Sir Speedy was formed in 1968 by Jim Merriam in Costa Mesa, Calif. Before we bought the company in 1977, he had gone through bankruptcy and it was being operated by a bankruptcy trustee. At the time, we were operating the Kampgrounds of America (KOA) franchise. It was a public company and a very seasonal business. The analysts always crucified us in the first quarter, since revenue would drop off, and the stock would go down. We also had a gasoline embargo going on, and we thought that when gasoline got to a dollar a gallon, people would stop camping—we were not visionaries, or we would have invested in oil company stocks! We were looking for a way to even out our revenue stream and were looking for something in business services. We realized we were not in the camping By Cary Sherburne business; we were in the franCary Sherburne is a well-known author, journalist and marketing chise business. And we wanted a consultant whose practice is focused business that was in the #1 or #2 on marketing communications stratmarket share spot. At that time, we egies for the printing and publishing industries. tried to acquire PIP, but Bill Levine

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September

2018

Richard, Zach and Don Lowe—three generations of family management

was not interested in selling. He suggested we go south of Los Angeles and talk to the bankruptcy trustee that was running Sir Speedy. We bought the company out of bankruptcy in 1977 and took total control of the stock in 1978. In 1981, we took KOA private, and it has been private ever since. I’m still a director and shareholder. WTT: Taking a company out of bankruptcy isn’t easy. How did you approach that? DL: The ﬁrst thing we did was work to deliver on the promise to franchisees who had invested in the business and who had been mistreated because of lack of focus. We put together a very aggressive sales program, and as a result there were three years where we opened 133 locations per year. We had one December when we opened 33 locations in one month. Once the franchise sales activity ﬂattened out, we changed our strategy and worked on two things. First, we worked to drive revenue at the franchise locations. We devoted more resources to building their revenue, and we were successful in doing that. Today, we are close to $1 million average revenue per center, and our top volume producer is at $11 million. The second initiative, after building volume at franchise locations, was to acquire other networks we could run separately or tuck in to our existing network. We bought both PIP and MultiCopy 22 years ago, and then we bought Signal Graphics from Steve Morris later. All three of those still operate with their original branding. We also tucked in and rebranded two or three smaller networks. WTT: Why MultiCopy? DL: It’s the most recognized brand in their market, dominant in The Netherlands. We have 67 locations, and The

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Netherlands’ population is about the same as the state of Georgia. We liked their mentality; it is much like Americans’. They understand the commercial side of the business world. In fact, the Dutch were one of the original traders in the world. There is a separate management team in Holland reporting to Richard. In the U.S., we have common management for the three brands located here. WTT: What about TeamLogic IT? DL: We started that business 14 years ago. Its headquarters are located in our building and it reports up through Richard and me. WTT: Looking back, what are a few of the things you are most proud of? DL: First, I am very proud of our relationship with our franchisees. I think we have the best group in the world, and they have been very kind to us. They are quick to adapt to new technology, and they are not afraid to take calculated risks. We still have the largest number of salespeople in the printing industry, more than 200 out on the street every day. That’s a credit to our network. Richard Lowe: We needed to have a sales culture in our company, and we have been presenting that to our franchise group. They bought in, and they have spent their own money to put sales on the street. One of our franchisees has 11 salespeople, but several have two or three. There are a handful of sales reps delivering over $3 million in sales per year. Our largest Sir Speedy location, George Coriaty in Whittier, is a $3 million seller himself, plus he has four salespeople. His largest account is actually in New York City. That’s been one of the biggest changes for us—in the early days, most of our business came from a two-mile radius of the location. In fact, a delivery truck in those days was a hand cart. It was easier to market. You could walk by most of your customers every day. WTT: What are some of the other changes you have led the organization through? DL: We spent several years moving from analog to digital technology. We were first in the U.S. to have a Xeikon, and first with Indigo. And we had the first Heidelberg QMDI in the world. RL: We set up an R&D operation we called Digital Quickcolor. We saw early on color digital printing would be a growth industry. It was a rodeo in the beginning. We pride ourselves on being on the leading edge of technology and adoption. Going through the analog-to-digital migration we thought was monumental from a technology change perspective. But then we went back to our franchisees and said, forget about the technology; we are going to do marketing services. And that was a much bigger change than analog-to-digital. You needed to approach customers in an entirely different way. WTT: So what’s on the table now? RL: We are working to expand the products and services we sell. For many of our locations, signage has been the growth engine in their revenue. We are also spending a lot of time on labels and getting our arms around packaging. We were selling labels before, but it was reactive rather than strategic. Now we are focusing on that activity, and it is a growth area as well. DL: Interestingly, for the last two years, our biggest growth in labels has been labels for the marijuana business. They

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are required to have specific labels by various state governments, and we have done well with that. In signage, we have bought a lot of equipment, much of it HP. We think that will soon represent 25% of our revenue; it’s about 16% or 17% now. Before, that was all stuff that we sold and vended out. Now we are producing it ourselves. One of our locations does over 60% of its volume in signage today, and they didn’t get a piece of technology until two years ago. This includes entire packages for trade show booths and signage. We have a couple of salespeople that only sell monument signs. We are trying to break into electronic signage, but that is more of a challenge than we thought. There is no margin in hardware; it’s a content business. So we are working through that model. WTT: What’s the strategy for the future? RL: We will continue to evolve in the sign space, and wherever there is a growth application. The strategy is simple: we are looking at markets and products that are growing and not being replaced by digital technology. Commercial print is flat at best. But other segments are growing at high single or low double-digit rates. DL: There are two things that drive volume in our network: one is the expansion of products and services we just talked about. For example, the franchise owner decides he will be in the signage business, sometimes starting with one customer. The early adopters have been the early adopters with everything; it is a mindset. Then their testimonials encourage others to enter those markets. The second thing that drives revenue is the personality of the owner. We have people that are persistent, knowledgeable, and customer-centric. They deliver in minutes when the customer has to have it. They turn work on a weekend when the customer has to have it. If you look at the top 100 franchisees in our network, to a person, it is their personality that drives the big growth. WTT: I’m sure the good leadership helps as well! DL: We take no credit for that. But we have been doing it for a long time. I still think about Richard as new leadership, but he’s been with the company for 30 years, so I guess he’s not the new guy anymore! WTT: And now you have the third generation coming on board. RL: Yes, my son Zach interned with us for two summers and recently graduated from college. We had a job opening for a project manager-type person, and he said he wanted to interview for it. He helps us on conventions and a number of other projects. DL: At its heart, it’s a family business, and that mirrors our franchisee organizations. They feel comfortable with that family orientation. Most of theirs are family, and ours being so builds some empathy. WTT: Anything else you would like to add? RL: We’re still bullish on the business. It’s a large industry with lots of opportunity. We’re having a fabulous year—up 6% year-to-date over last year. We feel good about that, since overall printing is flat. It’s a testament to our owners, their tenacity, their willingness to change, and their hard work.

September 2018

Printing News

WHY PRINT REMAINS SO IMPORTANT to an Increasingly Digital World See why consumers continue to have an affinity for print, and how this time-tested medium fits into today’s digital consumer landscape.

his year marks Printing News’ 90th anniversary, and as we close in on a full century of industry coverage, the question remains: What is the future of print?

By Laurie Weller Laurie Weller is a freelance technology writer with more than 20 years of experience, including 10 years as a public relations professional in the digital printing industry.

In fact, printed communications continue to have widespread appeal, even as the digital revolution has transformed the consumer landscape. Consider research reported in ScienceDaily, which shows that newspaper readers overwhelmingly prefer paper – 89 percent of the total amount of time readers devote to newspapers goes to the print edition, versus four percent for online and seven percent for mobile formats. The same dynamic holds true for book readers. Pew Research Center recently found that 65 percent of Americans had read a print book during the previous year, “more than double the share that has read an e-book (28 percent), and more than four times the share that has consumed

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2018

Printed communications appeal to our senses and provide us with a more tactile, emotional experience than we get through digital channels. Photo courtesy of Continental Colorcraft.

book content via audio book (14 percent).” While according to a recent CNN report, the average American adult spends more than 10 hours a day consuming media digitally, research also shows that people are naturally drawn to print. Here’s why.

Digital Fatigue For one, says Daniel Dejan, print and creative manager for Boston-based Sappi North America, the volume of digital communications consumers confront today is nothing short of mind-boggling. “I often refer to it as a tsunami,” he said. “And

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there are no boundaries with digital communications. Anyone with a computer and access to Wi-Fi can upload. So, we have this plethora of information, data, communications, video, music, opinion and rumor.” Plus, he adds, printed communications typically undergo a review process before they reach consumers, which gives them credibility. “If I write something that is going to be printed, there’s a copy editor – or it has to be approved by legal,” said Dejan. “If I create a design, there is a creative director who has to approve it. These kinds of checks and balances within print guarantee its quality and accuracy.” Jay Sheffield, account executive for Monterey Park, California-based Continental Colorcraft, attributes printing’s staying power in part to new eco-friendly solutions that consumers – especially younger generations – value. “People are getting more interested in what a brand stands for and how it impacts the environment,” he said. “So, we get more requests to print on recycled media, and we only use soy-based inks. Most of the papers now are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certiﬁed.”

Versatile and Reliable Dr. Gillian Hayes, a Kleist professor in informatics at the University of California, Irvine, emphasizes that it is the flexibility of print that makes it so valuable to consumers. “You can print something and set it on a table, and that table can be inside in the dark or outside on a boat, and it will work,” she said. “And you can take out any pen or pencil and make notations, and that will also work. Digitally, we are just not there, yet.” According to Marcie Obstfeld, president of Irvine, California-based Power Promotions, print remains in demand today because there are so many applications for it. “There is a way to imprint virtually everything,” she said. “It may be some sort of attachment to a product, but now our answer to clients is almost always ‘yes.’ This is made possible by the different techniques available now, which can create everything from edible

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imprints to tiny prints on the side of your eyeglasses. And you can say ‘yes’ to small quantities, too. It may be more expensive, but not like it used to be.” Printed communications also offer a measure of security that their digital counterparts lack. “Pilots are moving to iPads and apps for their maps and avionics, but they still use printed logbooks and other documents because it is safer to have that paper as a backup in the air,” said Hayes. Investments in printing also pay off for brands. “Direct mail has a huge ROI,” said Sheffield. “And just look at the packaging in an Apple store – even for an earpiece. Then you get that brand new iPhone home, and it comes in a sexy box to increase your perceived value of it. That is the impact of printing and packaging.”

Appealing to the Senses While consumers are drawn to the dimensionality and utility of print, Dejan notes that our connection with the medium goes well beyond form and function. “Print stimulates our senses,” he said. “A perfect example of this is how we have recorded the scent of printing. If you close your eyes, can you recreate the smell of a library, or a bookstore, or textbooks when you crack them open. It is an important aspect of our relationship with print, as is the sound of paper – how newsprint sounds when you are turning the pages, versus a magazine. These all contribute to a strong reader experience that is not recreated in a digital environment.” And the expanded range of specialty ﬁnishes available today are simply mesmerizing to consumers, says Dejan. “There is a lot of research being done now involving retinal scanning on how the eye is attracted to the special effects of printing. Pearlized inks, metallic inks and foil stamping are not duplicated readily digitally, and they capture the consumer’s attention.” Sheffield adds, “Our clients want to have a bigger wow factor, especially in industries like cosmetics, packaging, gaming and entertainment.” But it is the sense of touch that truly separates the printed page from the screen. “We have learned how to

September

2018

produce beautiful coatings with a soft touch, as well as sandpaper – everything from very, very light imprinting to heavy effects,” said Dejan. “These all stimulate our ﬁngertips and play a subliminal role in how we evaluate the quality of the printed piece. The better the paper quality and the more interesting the surface, the more the print impacts our valuation of the brand and the company.” And the more unique the print is, the more likely it is to ﬁnd its way into digital channels. “Brands are trying to draw customers in to be loyal through social media; everyone is talking about it,” said Obstfeld. “One way you get more bang for your buck is to get an image of your printed product on Pinterest. If it is an interesting and unusual image, it will get retweeted, it will go more viral, and it will have wider appeal.”

Striking the Right Balance In terms of staying power, printing is up there with the wheel, lightbulb and other iconic inventions. However, there is no mistaking the impact digital experiences are having on consumers today. “You see this best in kids,” said Hayes. “They are born into a world of touchscreens, and that is how they see the world. They walk up to a big screen TV and touch it. They try to swipe paper books. They struggle to see the differences.” Digital experiences are profoundly impacting older generations as well, she adds. “We expect higher ﬁdelity graphics in print today and interactive experiences. All these things work within an ecosystem, though; they work together. We tell our students to think about the whole ecosystem when they are designing because there is going to be a role for all platforms. What is important to understand is the need to create a unified experience across elements.” Dejan agrees. “If it’s a question of looking for data or information, then digital communications play a very important role,” he said. “But if I want you to have a deep understanding of, appreciation for, and relationship with my company, brand, product or service, I want you to read ink on paper because you will remember what you have read, and you will value it.”

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Marketing Matters:

Thoughts on Marketing Print and Direct Mail Services

n the 2017 B2B Buyer’s Survey by Demand Gen Report, business buyers were asked why they selected the winning vendor over others. Seventy-ﬁve percent of the respondents said that the winning vendor’s content had a signiﬁcant impact on their choice.

By Patrick Whelan President of Great Reach Communications Patrick Whelan is president of Great Reach Communications, Inc., a provider of direct mail and online marketing solutions to the print and direct mail industry. Patrick has a BS in business and marketing from Northeastern University and has spent the last 22 years providing marketing programs and consulting to more than 700 print providers throughout North America. He has been a featured speaker at industry events and has contributed to numerous industry publications. In 2009, Patrick’s contributions were formally recognized when he was inducted into the prestigious, NAPL Walter E. Soderstrom Society.

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“While engaging potential customers in person is essential, it is also important to support those efforts with printed and digital communications to create a productive sales force,” according to the InfoTrends report (by Lisa Cross and Kate Dunn), which identified best practices from print providers that experienced double-digit sales growth in the past 12 months. Eighty-one percent of B2B decision makers use online communities and blogs to help make purchasing decisions (source: 2016 Marketing Think). Blog content has a life expectancy of 2 years, far outdistancing all other forms of virtual content. Compare this to YouTube’s and LinkedIn’s content life expectancies of 20 days and 24 hours respectively. The good news is that marketing can be easier than most realize. For example, by utilizing a print newsletter as the cornerstone of your marketing efforts, the content can be easily repurposed for your digital/social efforts. But first, here are some things to consider. 1. Print or email? My advice: utilize both. Print newsletters have a higher perceived value than e-versions and are a great leave behind. As opposed to sales collateral, which we inherently don’t trust, a print newsletter with thought leadership content differentiates your company. If you have limited financial resources an email newsletter is much less costly to produce and distribute, but note even the best-designed email newsletters fall prey to spam filters. 2. The 80/20 rule. Your newsletter content should be 80% educational and 20% promotional. If your content is relevant to the services you offer, then it’s promotional without being perceived as “promotional.” 3. It’s about them, not you. Focus on providing your audience with useful information, rather

than the goings-on at your company. While some company news, such as community service, milestones, new services launches, etc., can be beneﬁcial to your marketing effort and is great for engagement and branding, just try to strike the proper balance. 4. How relevant is your content? Don’t waste your time and money sending out jokes, recipes and generic content that has no direct relevance to the services your company provides. You’ll just become part of the noise and people will tune you out. The key is to stand out from your competition by promoting thought leadership, competency and trust. 5. Frequency. Staying top of mind matters. While the quality of interactions matters, so does quantity. How often can you realistically get a newsletter out the door? If it’s only email, it should be monthly; no less than bi-monthly. If you opt for print only or print and email, then consider if you can produce a print piece quarterly, bi-monthly, or monthly. Be realistic. At a minimum, touch your audience every 90 days. Strong marketers tighten that to every 30 days. 6. Word counts. The trend is towards shorter content. Newsletter articles should be under 500 words maximum (shoot for 400). Optimum for email is fewer than 375 words. Bulleted and numerical blocks of content are the most engaging. 7. Page counts. Your newsletters can be single article (2 page) or multiple articles (16 pages). If you are only engaging your audience 4 times a year, consider the multiple articles format with a magazine look and feel so that it sticks around longer. If it will be a bi-monthly or monthly newsletter then a two-page format might be more realistic. 8. Beware of the committee approach. As a print marketer once said, “the act of trying to create the perfect piece often ends up being the reason for doing nothing.” At the end of the day, the more you stay in front of a prospective customer, the more likely they are to do business with you. That’s a long proven fact. Know me, trust me, like me: that is your marketing objective.

September 2018

Printing News

Innovation with

Print Software By Jennifer Matt Jennifer Matt has a passion for the online world and how print software can be leveraged to both differentiate your print business and make it more data-driven. Jennifer writes, speaks, and consults with printers worldwide who realize their ability to leverage software is critical to their success in the Information Age.

An innovative software product is the result of learning about a business process then applying the modern software tools to solve that process for the customer.

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oftware is one of many tools print businesses have to innovate their service offerings. Unfortunately, many printers have a frustrating relationship with their software due to failed implementations, wasted investments, and a general misunderstanding of the toolset.

September

2018

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One of my dreams for this industry is for print owners to take the same amount of time and effort to learn about the software as they do to investigating print manufacturing equipment. At every industry event I hear printers talking for hours about new machinery, capabilities, and the specifics of new printing technologies. Yet those same printers are unwilling to sit with their technical teams to participate in strategic planning around the software stack that runs their businesses. In one area, you are 100% in your comfort zone, and in the other you feel as if people are speaking a foreign language. The manufacturing floor alone will not deliver the innovation you need to thrive in today’s datadriven world. Customers are now looking for print service providers who can solve their data-intensive challenges that start far upstream from the printed product. Solving these challenges takes software. Imagine trying to outdistance a competitor who has extended their value proposition to solve customer-specific data challenges upstream of print. How to disrupt that relationship? Quote a lower per piece price and you’ll be laughed out of the room. The customer needs innovation. The toolset is software. How do you create innovative customer-specific solutions with software? I don’t have all the answers, but several ideas based on real life successes and failures. An innovative software product results from learning about a customer’s business process and challenges and then applying modern software tools to create a solution. Innovation fails when everyone assumes they understand the problem and simply buys some software, or hires a developer to solve it. When you fail to define the problem you’re trying to solve, you basically implement the most obvious and usually least innovative solution. Ideally, you take some time—not weeks or months, but sometimes as little as a few hours—to actually learn

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about the problem ﬁrst, then communicate the problem (not how you think it should be solved, just the problem) to someone who understands the soft ware toolkit. What is the software toolkit? For simplicity’s sake, it’s a user interface that talks to a relational database which stores information and applies logic to that information to solve

An innovative software product results from learning about a customer’s business process and challenges and then applying modern software tools to create a solution. business challenges. Do not try to solve the problem without someone who understands current software. When non-software people try to solve software challenges, you end up with solutions based on very limited knowledge. This is when you find people saying, “I want a drag-and-drop solution,” or “I need to be able to upload a spreadsheet and get an email notification when this or that happens.” The solution is based on what you are comfortable with (spreadsheets, emails, PDFs, etc.). Those tools are really popular because non-software people are attempting to solve challenges without the software expertise to understand their options. If you are out to solve a challenge worthy of custom development (“worthy” meaning that by solving it you could win considerable market share), then building custom software is a good route to take. What I mean by “custom software” is that you can assemble pieces of software that do the expected

things, but allow you to control the user experience and the logic to solve specific challenges. One software tool we have used time and again is OrderCloud from Four51. Hard to explain to non-technical people, it’s a dream tool for solving very customer-specific challenges requiring full control of the user experience. OrderCloud is 100% API (application programming interface) driven and headless (meaning is doesn’t come with a user experience at all). You cannot get a demo of this product! This can be confusing, so to translate: you get all the “features” of an ecommerce platform without having to conform to a specific user experience. What if you’re in a business that has a really weird workflow? We have used two different platforms to address this kind of challenge: EpiServer and OrderCloud. Both solutions offer a platform approach to ecommerce, while giving you 100% control of the user experience. You can design and implement that weird workflow on top of these platforms—so you invest in what makes you different and get all the expected functionality of an ecommerce platform underneath. Th is approach isn’t for everyone; you need to be invested in custom development for the long-term. If so, you will control your own destiny and be able to focus on innovation, and differentiation for your customers. Printers who are doing that have stepped out of their comfort zones. It doesn’t take long to get comfortable, especially when you see the impact of true differentiation on your ability to win new deals and build protective barriers around existing business relationships. Software is one of the most powerful tools print businesses have at their disposal. The future of the industry depends on more printers embracing this toolset to keep print in the marketing mix by making it easier to personalize, easier to buy, and easier to combine with digital marketing programs. http://whattheythink.com/r/90761

September 2018

Printing News

You Can Do More with

SHEET-FED -FED

Sheet-fed presses have traditionally addressed high image quality requirements, short runs, substrate flexibility, larger format applications such as folder or posters, expanded color gamut and value-added enhancements. They are typically classified by the size of the sheet starting with A, B or C series. There’s a good discussion of ISO 216 (A & B series) and ISO 269 (C series) on Wikipedia. The zero size for the largest sheet is 33.1” x 46.8” for A series, 39.4” x 55.7” for B series, and 36.1” x 51.1” for C series. The size of sheet-fed presses are often discussed in terms of B series, but in reality they may be closer to the other formats, which is why you often see manufacturers refer to their presses as B2+ or B3+. The B1, B2 and B3 presses and sheet sizes are divisible by the B0 format. For example, two B1 sheets equals one B0, and so is the case for B2 and B3. Most of the presses run a maximum of 15,000 to 18,000 sheets per hour, and many can be configured with five or more colors, and in some cases up to 12 colors. By Andy Gordon Sheet-fed inkjet presses are the new frontier. From those designed Partner, Inkjet Insight to replace toner-based solutions Andy Gordon is a partner at Inkjet Insight. Inkjet Insight provides information and tools to help companies: evaluate the potential of inkjet for their business; optimize their operations; and, grow their businesses using production inkjet. Andy’s focus includes strategy planning, marketing, content and product development, industry outreach, and custom research.

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Format

Size

39.4” x 55.7”

27.8” x 39.4”

19.7” x 27.8”

13.9” x 19.7”

ISO 216 B-Series

September

2018

RossHelen/iStock

he primary beneﬁts of roll-fed presses include the ability to standardize on substrates, achieve super efficiency and optimize operating costs for high volume applications. These devices have succeeded for applications that are easier to standardize such as transactional, direct mail and books. Until recently, the print quality from these devices was better suited for these applications than for graphic arts applications such as business identity, marketing collateral, posters and display. Additionally, it’s more difficult to frequently change paper rolls between jobs, which limits the usefulness for shops where each job is unique.

for document printing, to others intended for near-photographic applications. They will also ﬁt in environments that already have workﬂows designed for sheet-fed printing and are best suited for customized print applications. The Inkjet Insight Device Finder catalogs a wide range of these devices from 182 ipm up to 866 ipm and sheet sizes that approximate B1, B2, B3 and C3. Some of the listings are for products that have been publicly discussed, may be prototypes or planned products, but are not commercially available. These will help you understand where the market is heading and future capabilities.

Where Do They Fit? Wading into the debate about where products ﬁt based on capabilities is wrought with challenges especially when the products are prototypes or the information we are evaluating is based on marketing messages and not real-world evaluation. Our team decided to do a qualitative comparison of three sheet-fed inkjet equipment scenarios to a hypothetical B1 (40-inch) offset press. In this case, offset is the benchmark offering customization and the ability to produce a wide range of applications. A typical 40-inch press can run between 15,000 and 18,000 sheets per hour. The range of compatible papers is extensive, often limited only by the imagination of the customer. Many are installed to produce CMYK with additional spot colors and specialty inks and the output is compatible with coatings and foils for added enhancements. While we used the 40-inch B1 offset press as the benchmark, we know that even this might not be accurate because the throughput of a B2 or B3 offset press is different from a B1. We chose to compare this hypothetical press to three inkjet press scenarios:

B2 & B3 Aqueous Inkjet Current products on the market include Delphax Elan, Canon Océ VarioPrint i-Series, FuijFilm J-Press 720S and the Xerox Brenva HD. There are both aqueous dye (Delphax) and aqueous pigment solutions. In general, these are a

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Comparative Technology Analysis – Sheet Fed Inkjet Throughput

closer fit to roll-fed equipment with the added advantage of changing substrates frequently and document production workflows. The pigment solutions offer greater image fidelity which is attractive for offset replacement. Even within this group of products, there is a broad range of differentiation capabilities and generalizing is tricky. For example, the FujiFilm J-Press 720S and Canon Voyager (code name) promise offset or near photographic image quality. So, don’t splash too much water at us…each press is different and offers a unique selling proposition.

Durability

Image Fidelity

Print Area

Number of Colors

B2 & B3 UV Inkjet There are two UV solutions that share the same platform, the Konica Minolta AccurioJet KM-1 and Komori’s version, the Impremia IS29. UV ink offers the ability to print on a wide range of papers, as well as synthetics, labels and other specialty media. This expands the opportunity within general commercial print environments. This may be the right equipment if you are looking to produce marketing collateral, pocket folders, posters, labels and plastic cards on one device.

B1 Aqueous Pigment Inkjet The Landa S10P and the Komori variant (Impremia NS40) are the only B1 sheet-fed format inkjet presses that have been announced for the market. While neither are currently available, the packaging version, Landa S10, is currently in beta testing. Using an intermediary transfer belt system, these presses aim to transfer ink onto the surface of substrates through direct contact rather than non-impact jetting. Landa is sensitive about market positioning and doesn’t refer to their press as inkjet. Rather, they use the terms Nanography and Nanoink to describe their unique approach and ink formulation with claims of an ultra-thin ink ﬁlm that can adhere to any substrate. We will be able to fully evaluate this technology as it becomes commercialized.

Is Offset Really the Competition? There is a lot of talk in the industry about transferring pages Vendor

Product

Komori

Impremia NS40*

Substrate Flexibility B2 & B3 Aqueous IJ

B2 & B3 UV IJ

Post Coatings & Foils B1 Aqueous Pigment IJ

40 inch – Sheet Fed Offset

from offset to digital presses. In reality, sheet-fed inkjet pages will come from different sources and the value proposition of each press must be considered based on its capabilities and market positioning. Some presses will compete in the document production space for applications such as transactional, direct mail and books. Others are focused on marketing collateral, photo books, pocket folders, calendars, ID cards, packaging, and posters. The obvious sources of pages include offset, sheet-fed toner, roll-fed inkjet and new applications. There will also be print volume that comes from wide format, screen printing and specialty print markets.

What’s Next? There are currently great solutions on the market that ﬁt multiple niches and applications. It’s time to start talking with your vendors, understanding your applications and requirements, and testing their technology to determine a ﬁt. This space is going to evolve over the next couple years especially with drupa 2020 right around the corner. We should expect to see commercialization of many of the devices that have already been discussed in the market, along with new entrants who will push the envelope.

Closest Sheet Size

IPM

Ink

Resolution

Colors

866

Aqueous Pigment

1200 x 1200

Landa

S10P*

866

Aqueous Pigment

1200 x 1200

FujiFilm

JPress 720S

180

Aqueous Pigment

1200 x 1200

Komori

Impremia IS29

300

UV Curable

1200 x 1200

Konica Minolta

AccurioJet KM-1

300

UV Curable

1200 x 1200

Canon

Océ VarioPrint i200

194

Aqueous Pigment

600 x 600

4 + MICR

Canon

Océ VarioPrint i300

294

Aqueous Pigment

600 x 600

4 + MICR

Canon

Voyager*

300

Aqueous Pigment

2400 x 1200

4, 7

RISO

T2*

320

Oil-based Pigment

N/A

Xerox

Brenva HD

182

Aqueous Pigment

600 x 600

Kyocera

TASKalfa Pro 15000c*

N/A

146

N/A

Delphax

Elan

500

Aqueous Dye

1600 x 1600

Notes: *Devices have been publicly discussed, may be prototypes or planned products, but are not available. Inkjet Insight has calculated IPM in some cases where specifications are reported in sheets per hour.

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September 2018

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EMBRACING

BINDERY AUTOMATION —It’s Time to Take the Leap

he bindery is the final frontier of total workflow automation, but the journey can be overwhelming. Unlike other steps in the print workflow, finishing is the most diverse. After the paper is printed, it can be die cut, coated, bound, folded, stamped, collated, inserted, jogged, guillotine trimmed, and more. And, although most newer finishing equipment (purchased within the last 10–15 years or so) can send and receive JDF data, the likelihood that they’re actually networked together on the shop floor is pretty slim.

In fact, even the most ambitious plans to automate can be sidelined once you get your arms around the project scope, thinking about all of the touch points, all of the equipment brands that must talk to each other, and all of the people who would have to be willing to learn how to do their jobs in a totally new way. “Our biggest competitor is the traditional, static way of doing things,” says Julie Watson, president of Ultimate TechnoGraphics. “It can be very hard to break people of their old habits. However, finishing automation can make their job so much easier and help them produce more jobs.” Julie’s company is behind Ultimate Bindery soft ware, a powerful open soft ware solution that manages multi-vendor finishing workflows with ease. This sentiment is something that everyone from the softBy Trish Witkowski ware companies to the finishing equipment manufacturers are Trish specializes in creative solutions dealing with. Often the solution and engagement strategies for becomes more of a crawl, walk, direct mail and marketing. She frequently travels and speaks to run scenario. “There is a learnprint organizations and their clients ing curve, but we have seen custo illustrate the power of print.

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September

2018

tomers being more proactive and asking questions as they consider enhancing the automation of their workflows,” says Yashi Potdar, workflow solutions analyst for Standard Finishing Systems. “Many shops are not quite ready to fully implement bindery automation, but we can offer them a way to grow into automation, from memory recall and job storage all the way up to full JDF workflow.” The manufacturers have been prepared to support automated bindery workflows for over a decade, and the industry has been able to hold off on taking the leap— however, that time appears to have just about passed. “The market is changing,” says Fadan Qawas of HP. “We’re seeing the move toward non-standard jobs, personalization, and customization. The technology to automate these processes and make them faster and more efficient exists—people just haven’t adopted it yet. The rest of the print workflow is digital, and manual operations in the bindery are a slow and costly bottleneck, which hurts the customer’s ability to meet the demands of today’s jobs.”

The Value of Automated Finishing If you’re thinking of making a move, you might be wondering where you’ll see the greatest benefit. According to Potdar, “In terms of maximum benefits, finishing equipment that features automatic job changeover equipment using dynamic barcodes (for instance, to adjust for variable size/thickness books) is a real game-changer. This capability reduces make-ready time

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and eliminates manual touch points, potentially saving on labor and costly errors.” She adds, “You really see the benefits with more complicated equipment and applications, where more finishing steps and more frequent changes are required. An automated folder is a great example. Manual folders can take hours to set up, and an automated folder can perform that setup in one minute or less.” Qawas also weighs in on this topic, looking at the big picture. “The value proposition on bindery automation, as we see it, is in two pillars,” she says. “One pillar is profitability. Automation means short make-readies, quick turnaround times, and maximizing capacity—which also means keeping most of the finishing work in-house. Profitability goes up dramatically. The second pillar is efficiency. If you can eliminate human error and save on overs that would have been used for testing and cutting, the overall impact is substantial.”

Taking the Steps to Automation The first step in bindery automation is determining if you have JDF-compatible devices. If you don’t currently have them, in many cases your machinery isn’t useless. Your vendors can usually recommend an upgrade, or possibly even a retrofit. For example, Colter & Peterson performs retrofitting upgrades on guillotine cutting systems. The next step is to think about software as the underlying connection between the systems. Ultimate Bindery is a finishing automation software designed to bridge the workflow gap between prepress and finishing. Since a lot can change during production, it adds to the MIS data, the prepress features and completes with an accurate finishing plan to remove the manual make-ready on finishing equipment. This will increase accuracy as the job travels through the workflow. Ultimate Bindery builds a dynamic JDF file from the most final version of the job data before it goes to press—essentially working as an agent between prepress and finishing, validating and communicating to the different machines. It is also designed to pull all of the highly detailed finishing data, which is more than a traditional MIS or workflow solution alone can provide. It essentially completes the workflow and enables the finishing touch. This software can be available in your workflow, as Ultimate Bindery is integrated under the following systems: • HP SmartStream Direct-to-Finish • Xerox Integrated plus Finishing Solution Ultimate Bindery also supports over 32 finishing devices by the likes of Horizon, Polar-Mohr, Duplo, C.P. Bourg, Tecnau, Microcut, Plockmatic, Schneider Senator, Watkiss, and Perfecta. If you’re unsure of which machines can be networked/integrated, you may be able to reach out to the manufacturers for help. For example, HP customers can look to the HP Partners Program for assistance with integration issues. The software development push is also happening at the manufacturer level. “One important innovation we’ve developed is the extendable Hunkeler Workflow Manager (HWM),” says Potdar. “It’s a modular platform for workflow management, job setup, production statistics, data interfacing, and

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This Standard Horizon SmartSlitter offers a simple user interface and automated job setup via barcode to slit, gutter cut, edge trim, cross-cut, perf, and crease in one pass.

service tools. HWM is a big step in the advancement of automation, with fully automated registering, and plug-ins for job edition and production setup for cut/stack line and dynamic perforation, eliminating much of the manual setup of the line.”

The Future of Bindery Automation The manufacturers and soft ware developers continue to stay ahead of the industry demand, because they have to. Yashi Potdar sums it up best: “We expect printers to eventually demand not just fully automated post-press setups, but also real-time production statistics on work-in-progress, predictive maintenance, and more, all flowing backing into their MIS system to inform their decision making. This is the type of control and efficient reporting that providers already demand from their pressroom, and we expect these same requests to extend to the bindery.” In response to this prediction, Hunkeler has developed their Site Manager to collect error data and status from tracking controllers on Hunkeler finishing devices and provide production reporting and piece level tracking. It can also integrate with the Hunkeler Web Inspection system, which captures high-resolution images of printed output for various types of quality and integrity analysis at speeds up to the full speed of the press. Along the lines of advanced quality control features in the bindery, and also indicative of manufacturers staying ahead of the curve, recently I was at Impress Communications to speak with Paul Marino about the benefits of their “Picture-Perfect” Bobst ACCUCHECK System.

Learn About Bindery Automation at PRINT 18 If you’re looking to learn more on this topic, I’m giving a show ﬂoor tour at PRINT 18 called Automated Solutions for Today’s Finishing, and it’s free. We’re going to stop at six different show ﬂoor locations to explore bindery automation across several categories. Ultimate TechnoGraphics and Standard Finishing Systems are two of our stops on the tour, so you’ll have the chance to see these technologies (and many others) in a learning environment. I hope you’ll join me.

September 2018

Printing News

PRINT 18 ‘Must See’ Products

he opportunity to see groundbreaking vendor products and equipment is just one reason thousands of industry professionals flock to the PRINT event in Chicago every fall. But with hundreds of booths in the Exhibit Hall, it can be a challenge to really see all the innovative products on display. That’s why this year the Association for PRINT Technologies has rolled out the RED HOT Technology Recognition Program, showcasing the newest products at PRINT. The RED HOT Technology Recognition Program puts a fresh spin on giving attendees a simple way to learn what’s new in the hundreds of exhibitor booths at PRINT. Featuring publishing and printing technology or equipment that has come to market within the past 12 months, the RED HOT Technology Recognition Program highlights the “what’s new” on the exhibit floor. For a complete list of products see www.printredhots.com

DirectMail2.0 Integrated Direct Mail Marketing Platform for Printers A marketing solution to track, enhance and report on direct mail campaigns by seamlessly adding 6 features to any direct mail campaign. Our platform monitors and reports in real-time on all the following: 1) Mail Tracking We track the mail, provide the estimated delivery date, and conﬁrmed delivery date as well as reports on undeliverable pieces via integration with the USPS. 2) Call-Tracking We track number of calls, who called, demographics on the caller as well as record all incoming calls for any number listed on the mail piece and show the data real-time. 3) Informed Delivery Yes, we deliver this with all mailings to anyone registered with the USPS. Do it all, set it up and report on it for you! Show you emails sent, opened and clicked on! 4) Retargeting on Google Continuing to deliver that message to anyone who went to the website after getting the mail. 5) Retargeting on Social Media Follow-up ads and images on Instagram and FB for anyone who went to the website. 6) Targeted Digital Ads We match the mailing list to Google and FB proﬁles and deliver digital ads directly to those being targeted via the mailing. The above campaigns for only a few cents per piece will ensure up to 10-30x more impressions than a mail piece alone! PrintingNews.com/12427621

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PRISMAsync Color Print Servers Canon is presenting the PRISMAsync family of color print servers, the first DFE-embedded Idealliance G7 Certified System. Canon created a unique, simple, wizard-driven procedure and software embedded in the PRISMAsync Color Print Server for imagePRESS digital color presses to remove virtually all of the challenges to G7 calibration - the de facto high bar standard in offset printing - for a digital device. Further empowering customers to achieve higher levels of quality, PRISMAsync Color Print Servers include Canon’s own developed profiling engine to create output profiles, either to achieve G7 targeted or colorspace conformance, or in order to improve gamut or consistency to better meet in-house goals. These DFE-based tools require no additional investment in software, hardware or training for the average end user to achieve high standards of quality and color consistency. This user convenience helps increase the accessibility of G7 calibration for printers using digital presses and decrease barriers to profile creation for users. Visit the Canon booth for a PRISMAsync G7 calibration demonstration and live production on imagePRESS C10000VP and C850 with the new PRISMAsync Color Print Server Version 5 - presenting an extended color correction toolset and embedded JDF/JMF workflow connectivity. PrintingNews.com/12243736

AccuEngage AccuEngage is a Professional Service to help you set-up and manage Informed Delivery Campaigns. The AccuEngage service sets up an entire Informed Delivery Campaign for you, trains you on it and includes the following: • Campaign Setup • Pre-Campaign Analysis Report • Post-Campaign Analysis Reports • Representative Image and Target URL Upload • Ride-Along Image and Target URL Upload • Includes 1 Managed Campaign. The value of Informed Delivery for Marketers: Informed Delivery can help mailers increase their marketing campaign reach through a synchronized physical and digital touchpoint. This feature allows you to: • Receive multiple impressions from a single mailpiece. • Enhance the customer call to action with interactive digital content. • Connect with customers whenever, wherever—even as they travel—through a computer or mobile device. PrintingNews.com/12427524

September 2018

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PRINT 18 ‘Must See’ Products ePrintDesigner Web-to-Print Software First release of ePrintDesigner web-to-print software! ePrintDesigner based on 2017 Award winner for Best Web-toPrint software by PrintingNews. com magazine readers, is an e-commerce web-to-print storefront with 1000s of pre-made templates that helps you sell more B2C and B2B products. By reducing pre-sale touchpoints of design, estimation, proofing, correcting files, billing and data entry, printers can make more money per job and per client. ePrintDesigner features the most templates and images of any other web2print software, the simplest design engine and checkout experience, the most precise text positioning and options for QR codes, logo uploads or background uploads. It is the only solution that gives printers, sign makers and promotional product distributors the flexibility to create custom sized or unique products online in any language. ePrintDesigner gives printers better control of storefront technologies and features multiple open source shopping cart integrations, real-time shipping calculations, responsive design that dynamically scales for every device and enhanced capability for uploading proof and print products. The w2p soft ware is optimized for speed and use with ordering and advanced functions such as order approval systems, editable product design, order manager, and links to online payment facilities. The ePrintDesigner links seamlessly with popular MIS to create an end to end workflow for your business. PrintingNews.com/12427539

“Odyssey” Best-in-class Print MIS solution that also helps Printers as a CRM solution and Marketing Automation solution. PrintingNews.com/12249960

For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/10005400

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September 2018

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PRINT 18 ‘Must See’ Products PRISMAprepare v7 Clarity for Production Print and Mail Harnessing the power of the Industrial Internet Clarity solutions leverages data analytics from connected systems to help print and mail operations increase productivity and lower the costs. With an intelligent view into the interaction between machines, jobs and operators, operations can now access actionable insights to increase asset availability, drive productivity and optimize yield and quality. The benefits of the Clarity platform have now been extended to BlueCrest production print solutions. Clarity enables print and mail operations real time and predicative course correction that allows them to reduce costs and gain total control. They can do this through a clearer lens across both print and mail solutions and with predictive capabilities they have never had before. Critical production print metrics can be monitored in order to optimize printing system utilization, improve operator performance, job level insight, manage paper and ink, reduce costs and gain total control. By integrating Clarity into your print and mail operations, you’ll: • Gain precision in your business decisions with near real-time insights into your print and mail operation. • Connect multiple systems and sites across your enterprise for comprehensive visibility and control. • Leverage intelligent insights to understand the root cause of operational losses, regardless if they’re system, workcell, operators or workflow related. • Optimize printing system utilization and manage consumables. • Anticipate, collaborate, compare your operation to industry benchmarks and coordinate responses to dynamic operational conditions with greater agility and precision. • Optimize capacity planning to meet current and new SLAs. • Drive greater operational performance. • Achieve higher profit margins. PrintingNews.com/12427571

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As more print volume transitions to digital printing, there is the need for highly automated and cost efficient workflows to help users prepare complex documents for efficient production. Today, many commercial printers and in-plant users are still manually preparing final print files and often think workflow automation software may be too costly or too complex to implement. PRISMAprepare v7 reduces these barriers and allows both small and large print organizations to streamline their digital printing prepress/make-ready production. In addition to the powerful document make-ready capabilities, PRISMAprepare v7 allows print service providers to potentially expand their business by enabling them to produce complex document types that have mixed-media, variable data, and unique sub-set finishing. The final documents can be produced either in-line or near-line reducing the post-press processing steps. PRISMAprepare v7 addresses current barriers with three major advancements. • Automation allows users to easily create automation templates by simply recording tasks. These automation templates are editable allowing users to quickly customize for different print application requirements. • PRISMAprepare automation tasks include pre-flighting incoming PDF files for page size, bleeds and trims, and automatically adjusting and then imposing for finishing parameters. • PRISMAprepare automation template parameters can be exported and leveraged by a submitting application (i.e., web-to-print, MIS). The submitted PDF and parameter file are then automatically processed by PRISMAprepare. Operators can decide if they want to automate the entire submission to print process thus eliminating manual intervention and having print ready files sent directly to the digital press queue. PrintingNews.com/12427582

Avanti Slingshot Automated Fulfillment Contract Management Avanti Slingshot is a powerful Print MIS platform that connects “islands of automation,” eliminating breakpoints in workflow, and providing print providers with the information needed to run efficient, profitable operations. With Avanti Slingshot, up-to-the-minute information is available wherever, whenever it’s needed. Automated Fulfillment Contract Management, a new module to be announced at PRINT 18, is an innovative solution designed for businesses with warehousing/fulfillment capabilities. The solution enables providers of print and/ or marketing services to increase their revenue and profitability by charging transaction-based fees for managing customer-owned inventories of finished goods. Examples of those charges might be picking fees, warehousing storage fee,

September 2018

product handling/movement fee, receipt of inventory, ﬂat charges, et al. Users can easily setup complex contracts to routinely bill for these charges, which are not accounted for on sales orders. Fees will be summarized in a recurring “contract invoice” for the customer, created through another Avanti Slingshot module called Batch Invoicing. For example: A marketing service provider maintains inventory of branded keychains and collateral pieces on behalf of an automobile manufacturer to be distributed to dealers and customers as requested. Volumes vary substantially from month to month and the car company wants to pay only for the services they use. With Automated Fulﬁllment Contract Management, they are automatically billed for each order to be shipped. PrintingNews.com/12427545

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PRINT 18 ‘Must See’ Products Touch7 Neon Suite Touch7 is a suite of Photoshop plugins, color palettes, and design software for both digital and analog print engines. Touch7 enables designers to prepare files that will print within the maximum gamut capabilities of the device used to print. Manufacturers have consistently advanced technology in recent years, but graphic designers have not found the tools necessary to significantly reduce time to production. Touch7 was developed as an intuitive system to help brands, designers and printers to utilize extended gamut printing at a fraction of the time and cost associated with manual processing, and without the need to send files through a dedicated color separation system. Thus Touch7 opens up ECG printing to even the smallest print shop. The true power of Touch7 lies in its powerful plug-ins and palettes for Adobe CC, ensuring that designers can create artworks in an extended color gamut, without leaving the familiar creative environment. The Touch7 Suite consists of the following elements: • Touch7 NEON Color Guides—The first Touch7 NEON color guides were developed specifically for RICOH and the new neon yellow and pink toners available on the Ricoh Pro C7100/C7200 presses. Touch7 NEON color guides are provided in two formats: • SCR Color Guides—Magenta or Yellow is removed and replaced with Neon Pink (replaces Magenta) or Neon Yellow (replaces process yellow). • Overprint Color Guides—Neon Pink/Yellow is printed atop CMY to increase color saturation. • Touch7 Photo Neon Plug-in—This works intelligently at the pixel level, automatically isolating and separating the cyan, magenta and yellow components of an image. The end conversion adds as many as three additional neon fluorescent spot colors to the original image format. For example, an RGB image converted using Touch7 Photo Neon, will produce an RGB image plus up to three neon fluorescent spot colors. Touch 7 Photo Neon does not require ICC profiles to extract the desired separations; the proprietary Touch7 separation algorithms calculate the effect based on the original source pixels. PrintingNews.com/12427613

ChromaChecker Connectivity to HP Indigo Color Beat The HP Indigo 12000 has set the standard for quality for digital printing. Now it can report the color conformance and G7 status real-time to the industries’ ﬁrst Color Conformance Platform called ChromaChecker. The HP Indigo 12000 has ColorBeat built in, which includes an in-line spectrophotometer that measures color targets and sends the data directly to ChromaChecker. ChromaChecker can then assess the Indigo’s color conformance condition to help the operator and management understand when the printer is printing to expectations. ChromaChecker can also track and assess the Indigo’s productivity and print “saleability” due to its unique approach to assessing color conformance. This information is dynamically sent to ChromaChecker Color Cloud technology that allows personnel with correct credentials to assess any print technologies within the organization anywhere in the world to one another, or to any industry standard. This technology is a breakthrough because the operator doesn’t have to do anything in order to assess if the Indigo is printing correctly. If there are problems, ChromaChecker can intelligently instruct the operator what needs to be done to get the device printing correctly again. PrintingNews.com/12427595

Canon imagePROGRAF TM-305 MFP T36 With the imagePROGRAF TM Series, Canon has redeﬁned large format printing for the low-to-mid volume market with a versatile solution for both beginners and long-time professional printers. With a suite of standard software, the TM Series offers users a solution that not only is ideal for technical documents, such as CAD drawings and GIS maps, but also posters, signage and banners made easy. With a strong focus on ease-of-use, the new models are designed to provide users of all types with everything that they need to produce a variety of different applications. The imagePRO-

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GRAF TM Series provides the superb print quality, longevity and precision for vibrant displays, outdoor signage and blueprints alike through a full pigment 5-color LUCIA TD ink system, a print head 1.07-inch wide print head, and the L-COA PRO image processor. For CAD output, the LUCIA TD pigment ink set enables economical high-precision drawings, reproducing ﬁne lines and sharp text even on plain paper without the ink-receiving layer used by LED plotters. For posters and displays, the ink system also offers excellent color performance even on inkjet plain paper instead

of coated paper, which enables economical yet vibrant posters. The imagePROGRAF TM-305 MFP T36 system offers an all-in-one computer with a large touchscreen display and an integrated 36-inch scanner with fast scanning speeds. Users have the ability to scan-to-copy, scan-to-file simultaneously and scan to multipage PDF. Featuring a Unified Print Driver, Canon has helped lessen the burden on IT administrators by not having to install different drivers for different printers. PrintingNews.com/12427577

September 2018

Printing News

PRINT 18 ‘Must See’ Products DISCOVERY PharmaPQ

CHILI Publisher Viewed as a game-changer by technology experts, CHILI Publisher (Booth 441) is a professional-level, online document editing solution that integrates with the range of workflows and production platforms. CHILI Publisher offers over 150 editing, layout, and design tools that can be used with a variety of document formats, including those created “from scratch” within CHILI Publisher, as well as those imported from Adobe InDesign and Adobe Illustrator. All functions are conducted online, from within any of the top browsers, with changes displayed instantly. In addition to utilizing the creation and editing tools, job collaborators — from client and agency account manager to print and web/mobile designer, and premedia and production – can review jobs using CHILI Publisher’s unique, interactive, folding simulation and 360°, 3D viewing, within any application environment. Integrators can choose where and how to incorporate CHILI Publisher software into any workflows and applications, such as web-toprint, magazine publishing, packaging, brand management, and yearbooks. Support for HTML5 means that CHILI Publisher is future-proof, and nothing being developed for online interaction or display will be out of reach for CHILI Publisher users. CHILI Publish “plugs in” to application flows at any point, and can communicate with users’ systems to integrate data (e.g., personalized/ variable data output). Administrators can give users and stakeholders, such as clients, brand managers, and ad agency account executives) varying degrees of access, depending on their skills and permission level. All job sizes and formats, from single pages through multi-page documents and snippets of articles; up-to to the most complex, odd-sized, folded die cuts and packaging items, are accepted. Users can also create native CHILI Publisher documents “from scratch”. PrintingNews.com/11588614

Printing News

Printing errors, whether on the pharmaceutical packaging itself, on an attached label or on an associated printed medication leaflet, can have very serious consequences. Error in dosage instructions where e.g. “2.5mg” appears as “25mg” or “2-3 tablets” printed as “23 tablets”, can potentially cause serious harm or even fatalities. These printing errors could easily occur due to a number of prepress, production or operational issues. Blocked or misfiring inkjet heads, toner marks, dust, equipment/software glitches or human error (e.g. keying errors) could and do happen at any time. DISCOVERY PharmaPQ is a comprehensive print quality inspection and data veriﬁcation system for pharmaceutical applications, capable of monitoring 100% of the web using high performance line scan imaging and automated defect detection technology for web print, labels and packaging applications. DISCOVERY PharmaPQ provides powerful but simple to use, OCR and barcode reading and verification tools to validate 1D/2D barcodes, serial/lot numbers and expiration dates. This ensures they are present, readable, reconciled and are correctly logged into a database. PDF RIP issues, toner or inkjet problems, paper properties, equipment vibration, human error and environmental conditions such as humidity or dust, can cause the printed page to deviate slightly from the original PDF or artwork. DISCOVERY PharmaPQ’s Compare feature provides the ideal tool for precisely comparing every printed character against the original input PDF (post RIP’d) file or digital artwork, even for large page layouts or small font sizes. PrintingNews.com/12427774

AccurioWide 160 The AccurioWide 160 Hybrid UV LED inkjet wide format printer is available as a 4-Color + White or a 6-color configuration. The heart of the AccurioWide 160 is the Konica Minolta KM 1024i printheads, which produce the highest quality resolution in the market. This hybrid printer can print on both rigid sheets and flexible roll-to-roll media up to 165cm (5.4’) width and up to 45mm (1.7”) thick. There are five quality/productivity modes from Draft to High Quality HD. The productivity speed spans up to 63 square meters/hr (638 square ft/hr) to 7 square meters/hr (75 square ft/hr). You can print on most any media to offer your customers new and expanded print job applications. The AccurioPro WideDirector that drives the AccurioWide printers, is a complete workflow solution from job submission to finishing. You can also access most third party electronic job submission and “Web-toPrint solutions. The AccurioWide 160 is the first Konica Minolta wide format printer introduced of it’s kind. PrintingNews.com/12427772

September 2018

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PRINT 18 ‘Must See’ Products printQ 3D Packaging Design The printQ 3D Packaging Design is a revolutionary mass customization technology that streamlines the usually cost-intensive and complex process of designing and ordering personalized die-cut packaging products, bringing flexibility to a usually very rigid market and allows anyone to build and personalize packaging products to the size required. As the eCommerce market as well as the world packaging market has grown incredibly over the past years, the significance of the packaging itself as part of the entire company philosophy increased enormously. Especially SMEs doing online business need to fi nd ways to differentiate their brand from their competitors. Offering personalized packaging for their product adds extra value. More importantly: there is a strong trend towards small-run, individual products, away from large-run standard products in nearly every industrial sector. Prior to developing the printQ 3D Packaging Design, the process of designing and ordering custom-sized packaging products mostly happened offline, and no printing company had a suitable W2P solution that combined a high-performance online personalization function with the ability to design tailor-made, unique packagings and directly deliver all relevant production files (print PDF, CF2 file, etc.). The main application is suitable for any type of graphic packaging design, e.g. a lid box, snap lock box, display box, dispenser box, milk carton, gift box as well as flexible packagings or any product which should be adjustable in size and shape. When only a 2D representation is available, the online design of a custom-sized packaging is complicated. It’s hard to imagine how the final product will look like when folded or wrapped, or which side is the top or the bottom part of the packaging. Also varying criteria like paper thickness influence the way a box is folded. Naturally, each packaging design requires many design steps which normally leads to a long design cycle. The printQ 3D Packaging Design with its dynamic variability and the on the fly instant preview — directly done by customer interaction with the web site — is simply a game changer and will dramatically improve workflow efficiencies, and disrupt the market segment of customized packaging products by allowing users to fully implement the ordering process for packaging products. PrintingNews.com/12427609

Xante iQueue 13 Xante’s powerful iQueue Workﬂow Software sets a new standard for color quality, productivity and ease-of-use with the latest edition, iQueue 13. Now including complete USPS CASS, NCOA lookup, and presorting, iQueue gives our users the capability to go from print provider to a full-service mail house in one application. Capable of handling more than 200,000 records per minute, Xante’s servers and iQueue give our users the ability to go from mail list to full speed mail printing in under a minute. iQueue also automates electronic submission of all USPS required documents. iQueue automatically creates USPS tray labels and bundle markers. Xante’s iQueue 13 eliminates the need for multiple applications for graphic design, addressing, mail prep, variable data, imposition and color controls. When it comes to mail, iQueue 13 does it all. PrintingNews.com/12427833

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September 2018

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Case Study:

Pricing within a Class

P By Tom Crouser Principal, Crouser & Associates Tom Crouser is senior contributing editor, chairman of CPrint International, and principal of Crouser & Associates, Inc. You can reach him at (304) 541-3714, connect on Facebook and LinkedIn, and follow his business tweets on Twitter @tomcrouser.

Find this article at PrintingNews.com/12425138

utting a price on anything is a scheme to accomplish objectives. In printing, many think getting the job is the only objective, leading to low prices and proﬁts. Instead, our objective should be getting jobs within a class of competitors. And to do that, we must talk with customers. I was reminded of this again last week by an email question.

A printer, in reviewing the Crouser Digital Printing Guide (https://crouser.com/shop/) said he was curious as to what price the guide would yield on a specific job. He went on to say, “I bid on this job with my current prices and lost. Before I buy I would like to know what your guide would price this job out as.” Well, I gave him the price requested, but then added that the most important objective of a digital price guide was to assure he recaptured costs while yielding a competitive price. It wasn’t just about giving a price lower than the competition. In fact, he can figure out a low price by himself with his current method if he wishes. Just keep track of prices he quotes and always call back to get the winning bid. Next determine the percentage discount he needs to beat the low price. Then figure jobs as he normally would and apply the discount. Of course, he’ll probably go out of business doing it, but it would accomplish his objective of getting the job. A good price scheme is focused on the price you should charge to make money as well as get jobs. Not all jobs, mind you, but enough to prosper. Now, here’s the thing. Those who compete only on price rarely win. That’s because it’s always about price and one thing more. It’s price plus the ability to produce the jobs needed within the time frame is a simple example. Fact is, once many customers are comfortable with your prices, they rarely ask about them. They just send jobs. It’s about that one more thing. Lexus is an inexpensive car. Many people guffaw at the idea but it’s true. Lexus was designed to be an inexpensive auto in the class of luxury cars. Its price doesn’t have to compete with a Chevy Spark or a Nissan Versa. It is compared to other luxury cars. So, we must establish what class most customers are in and what’s the one more thing that they

Printing News

September 2018

need. What’s most important to one isn’t most important to another. What’s important to you, however, is to know what’s important to them. And we can’t know that sitting behind our computer screen trying to cut the price lower than our competitor. Here’s an idea. Let’s talk with customers using probing questions. If there’s anything you could change about your current provider, what would it be? That’s an insightful Dave Fellman question. Simple response would be, “I’d like for them to meet their commitments by delivering on time.” Now all you must do is price your work competitively with those printers who deliver on time and you may ignore the slovenly price of those that don’t. Same is true of any other wedge issue you can determine standing between the customer and their current providers. That’s not the only way to determine what the customer really wants, of course, but my point is you need to price competitively with others in the same class, not all other printers. The way you do that is through talking with customers. After all, it’s the customer’s perception of you that puts you into the class, not what you say. That means you just can’t tell the customer you deliver on time, you need to do it. Focus on knowing your class and ignore the slovenly printers who aren’t delivering what the customer wants. Although prospects will sometimes reference competitors’ prices, they’re not in the market for what they are delivering, or not delivering in this case. Knowing what the customer is buying is as important as the actual price. Message Tom Crouser at tom@cprint.com, or call his cell (304) 541-3714, for more information on how CPrint International can be of help to you in your business. No cost or obligation.

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Human Resources:

Managing a MultiGenerational Workforce • The Silent Generation (ages 71-89)

• Baby Boomers (ages 54-70)

By Debra Thompson President of TG & Associates Debra Thompson is president of TG & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in “The Human Side of Business” specifically for the graphics industry. Her company provides intelligence and personality testing, background checking and many other forms and tools for hiring and retaining top performers. Debra can be reached at (520) 751-8922, debra@tgassociates. com, or www.tgassociates.com.

Find this article at PrintingNews.com/12424012

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• Generation X (ages 34-53)

• Generation Y, aka Millennials (ages 21-33)

• Generation Z (under 20)

his month Printing News celebrates its 90th year in publication. Congratulations! Many changes have taken place since the ﬁrst issue was launched and, from an HR perspective, I’d like to focus on one very signiﬁcant nuance.

For the first time in history, many businesses have five generations working side by side, and also with a historically large workforce over the age of 65. While this provides a depth of experience, skill sets and energy, it also presents unique challenges. Each generation has its own way of thinking, working and processing information. The biggest benefit of an age-diverse workforce is the potential, and opportunity, for all employees to learn from one another. Older workers bring soft skills such as loyalty to the company, emotional stability, wisdom, experience and problem-solving. Younger workers have much to gain from these skills. On the other hand, the younger generations tend to have greater technical know-how, which older workers tend to admit that they lack. However, this does not mean older workers are incapable of mastering new technologies. In fact, most are quite capable of learning from the younger employees. To successfully manage an age-diverse workforce it’s critical that you learn about the uniqueness of each generation to best capitalize on the strengths that each person brings to the workplace. Below is a snapshot of each of generation as described in the SHRM HR-Today News, June 20, 2017. The Silent Generation (ages 71-89) • Make up less than 1% of the US workforce • Place a strong emphasis on rules • Lead with a “command and control” style • Prefer face-to-face interaction Baby Boomers (ages 54-70) • Make up 25% of the US workforce

• Are retiring at a rate of 10,000 per day, but many can’t afford to retire and want to work part time • Tend to be workaholics who get personal fulfillment from work Generation X (ages 34-53) • Make up 35% of the US workforce • Prefer independence and fewer rules • Seek to balance work and family • Want to communicate directly with leaders Generation Y, aka Millennials (ages 21-33) • Make up 35% of the US workforce • Take an entrepreneurial approach to work • Prefer direct communication and feedback • Want a social, friendly work environment Generation Z (under 20) • Make up 1-2% of the US workforce • Are likely to be using Twitter to find jobs • Communicate best by smartphone • Have large networks, but do not have much experience. Beyond these snapshot generational profiles, it is equally important to understand each individual’s personality traits as well. To fully comprehend what motivates an individual, their style of communicating, their strengths, limitations and value to the organization, I highly recommend utilizing the DISC Personality Profile Assessment. (For more information on DISC and Sample Reports go to www.tgassociates.com News & Updates.) Combining insights into both the traits of the particular generation, along with the individual personality traits will give you the knowledge you need to bring your team together. Remember

September 2018

Continued on page 62

Printing News

European Market:

Looking to Tap into the European Print Market?

Know Where the Competition Really Is As I touched upon in my first feature on WhatTheyThink, “Breaking into the European Print Market” (http://whattheythink.com/r/90187), the European market can’t be seen as one big, undifferentiated market. Therefore, American printing companies thinking of getting established in Europe must take the current market into consideration.

he printing industry in Europe is, of course, as diverse as any other market in the world. But with considerable differences in labor costs from country to country, decreasing demand for print, and thousands of small, family-owned printing companies, Europe is changing. Bernd Zipper from Beyond Print said, at the Benelux Online Print Event 18 in Brussels, that the current number of printing companies in Europe (primarily Germany, Austria, and Switzerland) is 34,000, with an expected decline to 17,000 over the next seven or eight years. You can imagine how that will affect families, employees, and business owners.

By Morten Reitoft CEO, INKISH.TV Based in Denmark, Morten Reitoft is the founder, CEO, and Editor of INKISH.TV. INKISH.TV was founded in 2015 to support knowledgesharing within the printing industry. Morten has been active in the printing industry for the past 20 years, works with clients across the globe supporting both sales and production operations, and speaks at industry events as part of his mission to foster knowledge-sharing and networking. He can be reached at: mre@inkish.tv

Find this article at PrintingNews.com/12426850

Despite the decreasing demand for print, smaller and medium sized print buyers are fully satisfied with the products that are delivered by the many online printers in Europe, and although online print gets a lot of attention from both the media and the industry, in general, these companies still account for only a relatively small percentage of the total market. However, online printers are growing and have a huge appetite to grow even more. Many traditional printing companies have for years been delivering stationery, leaflets, and brochures to local businesses, and this commodity market has been the core business for many of these traditional printers. Today, though, online printers can produce these commodity products at much lower prices, which dramatically affects the market. Since online printers, in general, are very good at marketing, prices seem to be in free fall. The Danish printer Lasertryk has a slogan that says, “Never has print been so cheap”—and “cheap” is the word that is emphasized. Consumers benefit from low prices, and now they’re helped by new sites like www.druckpreis. de, which offer print cost comparison services similar to the travel comparison sites most of us use. With druckpreis.de, customers can easily find and compare prices from several online printing companies, which will likely work to continue to drive down prices. If this were only an issue for commodity products, the impact could perhaps be managed. However, what printers should bear in mind is

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September

2018

that online printers are also looking at the more specialized print market, and now offer products like books, letterpress, and even direct mail and more complex work. So the smaller printers must start re-inventing themselves to withstand the competition and sustain a healthy business. As I touched upon in my ﬁrst feature on WhatTheyThink, “Breaking into the European Print Market” (http://whattheythink.com/r/90187), the European market can’t be seen as one big, undifferentiated market. Therefore, American printing companies thinking of getting established in Europe must take the current market into consideration. I believe there is still a huge market for specialized products and niches; but also, that printing companies seeking to establish themselves as a supplier of commodity products should have a robust bank account to take on the competition in Europe. From what I have seen in my travels in the U.S., prices in Europe are considerably lower, and the competitive situation is tougher. All these trends are based in a market where supply is greater than demand. This has led to a new breed of “printing” company—but what should they be called when they sell print but don’t actually produce it themselves? For now, let’s call them printers. “Hello Print” is a Dutch player whose mission is to generate high revenues within a short time period. They still have a ways to go, but they’re growing and spreading their activities to many countries in Europe. Continued on page 62

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• Adding Art to "STEM" • Functional Textiles • Innovative Web-to-Fabric Solutions

HARD SIGNAGE

The Premier Source for the Visual Communications Industry

An edition of Printing News

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September 2018

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You Know the What. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Show You the How. For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/12397774

Inside Technical Textiles:

T he Basics A

nyone in the textile industry reading trade publications is surely seeing the term “technical textiles” increasingly used. That’s because new developments in this area are coming fast and furiously, both in terms of the fabrics themselves and the finishes applied to them.

Technical textiles are textiles manufactured with function in mind, rather than aesthetics or decoration. They are already being used in a wide range of applications, everything from airplane parts and medical solutions to protective clothing and more efficient athletic wear, with new applications being developed every day. We discussed one such application in a recent article about Purissimo from Devan Chemicals. In this case, it is a probiotic treatment applied to textile products that are infrequently washed to help reduce the volume of pet allergens. Infrequently washed because the washing process would remove the good bacteria that result when microcapsules of dormant probiotic are crushed, activating the bacteria which, in turn, eat the pet allergen proteins and grow into a colony that will continue to multiply and consume these proteins as long as they are present. It’s being used in things like carpets, mattresses, and pet beds. Another way to produce technical textiles is through the weave itself. For example, researchers at North Carolina State University’s College of By Cary Sherburne Textiles have been developing Cary Sherburne is a well-known a uniquely woven textile that author, journalist and marketing prevents insect bites, most notaconsultant whose practice is focused bly mosquitoes. Why? Because on marketing communications stratthe most deadly animal in the egies for the printing and publishing industries. world is the mosquito, responsi-

Wide-Format & Signage

ble for more than a million deaths each year. Researchers report that the fabric—which is being pitched to various mills and other potential producers—is so tightly woven that a mosquito proboscis cannot penetrate it. And they report that if a mosquito can’t get through, neither can anything else, including ticks, which can also be quite deadly. In aerospace—both inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere—technical textiles are in wide use, from specialized clothing for pilots to airplane parts, even composites used for wing structures. NASA’s Advanced Composites Technology program has been a leader in these developments. And beyond the strength, flexibility, cost effectiveness, and other characteristics that textile-based composites display, NASA and others are also working on solutions that include electrical conductivity in textiles. According to the agency, “Metal wiring weaves a less-than-perfect web. Copper is the most common electrical conductor, but as with most metals, it can be heavy, expensive, and breakable. In contrast, conductive fibers provide a lightweight, flexible alternative to copper wiring.” This can include polymer fibers with a metalized coating, or spinning or weaving a combination of a

September 2018

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natural or synthetic fiber with a metallic fiber. These developments are also spilling over into the wider “wearables” category. Beyond your Fitbit, you can have clothing or blankets interwoven with conductive fibers that can intelligently heat or cool you. Your clothing could transmit vital signs to your health care provider. Or smart clothing can eliminate the need for that Fitbit by recording all the data about your activities, transmitting the information to the cloud for retrieval with a mobile app. NASA adds, “Electrotextiles may one day provide a variety of functions ranging from listening to MP3s to controlling temperature. Sometime in the near future, you may see people wearing clothes wired for cell phones, PDAs, gaming devices, and music players. One of those people may be you.” Another organization that is very active in this area is Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA), a non-profit institute headquartered near the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Funded through both government and industry sources, AFFOA’s mission is to enable a manufacturing-based revolution—the transformation of traditional fibers, yarns, and textiles into highly sophisticated integrated and networked devices and systems. And at the same time, its developments will encourage a return of the textile industry to North America. AFFOA addresses the spectrum of manufacturing challenges associated with volume manufacturing of revolutionary ﬁbers and textiles from design to end products. AFFOA facilitates the transition of these revolutionary ﬁbers and textiles from the laboratory through pilot production, delivering the functionality of semiconductor devices and systems. The organization is establishing a number of Fabric Discovery Centers around the country, including one in Lowell, Mass., which was once the heartland of textile manufacturing.

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We know that people will expect their clothes to do something, and that’s for brands to figure out.” Other brands such as UnderArmour, Nike (think FlyKnit shoes), New Balance, and more, also have projects underway to pursue increased functionality in clothing and footwear through the use of technical textiles. Continued on page 62

Brands are getting involved as well. For example, Phillips Van Heusen (PVH) Group Vice President Barry McGeough recently stated in a Technical Textiles magazine article, ““Your car and everything in your world is smart and connected. What will your expectations be? Will you accept living in a smart world where everything is smart but your clothes?

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September 2018

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DPInnovations:

A Complete web2fabric Workflow Solution

n the world of commercial print, the analog-to-digital transformation is well underway, with high-quality color digital printing having been available since the mid-1990s. Its growth was augmented by the availability of web-to-print solutions around the same time as the Internet began to enter mainstream mode. But with the ability to submit orders online—in quantities as low as one—comes the need to automate the order-to-delivery workflow in order to ensure profitability. For many commercial printing companies, web-to-print hand-in-hand with process automation has contributed to a near-lights-out production process that enables them to handle a larger number of shorter run jobs—in the hundreds or even thousands per day— quickly and profitably.

In the world of textiles and apparel, the analog-to-digital transformation is just getting underway, with an estimated 5% to 6% of all fabric printing worldwide printed digitally, up from an estimated 3% to 4% just a couple years ago. While this is a small percentage of overall production, adoption is being driven by the same factors as previous analog-to-digital transformations: shorter runs and faster turn times with no sacrifice in quality and keeping costs in line. A barrier in previous transformations, however, and a factor here as well, is the need for an end-to-end workflow that enables near-lights-out production, with automation from design through production and shipping. It is simply not affordable to throw more people at the problem, a solution that is both costly and error-prone. Rather, businesses that want to truly capitalize on the digital textile printing opportunity must adopt an end-to-end approach. That’s where companies like DPInnovations come in. The company offers a complete web2fabric workflow solution that includes: • Integration with an ecommerce solution such as Shopify or Magento; • An online product configuBy Cary Sherburne rator and visualizer to make the Cary Sherburne is a well-known catalog creation process more author, journalist and marketing efficient; and, consultant whose practice is focused • Automation support for digital on marketing communications strattextile printer front-ends (RIPs) egies for the printing and publishing from a variety of manufacturers. industries.

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We recently spoke with DPInnovations’ founder Steve Smith, who has a long history in software for textiles. After leaving college in the UK, he worked for Textile Computer Systems, providing solutions for carpet, woven fabric, and printed fabric. DPInnovations was founded in 2008 in South Carolina, and offered RIP software to drive inkjet printers, color management solutions, and separation and engraving software for printed textiles. “Over the following years, as the U.S. printed textile industry was decimated,” Smith says, “we began focusing exclusively on digital technologies. We were the first provider to Spoonflower, as an example.” While DPInnovations can provide the framework for a digital microfactory, Smith points out that there are many ways to approach the business. Organizations must first determine what business model they want to adopt—what they are going to print and for whom. “Once you have decided that, the next step is to acquire a suitable printer for those needs and make sure you have a way to get the work to the printer and out the door efficiently.” He also points out that in the digital world, it is critical to have a strategy to drive visitors to your website. “You can’t be successful simply with organic growth,” he says. “You have to invest in marketing your site, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, etc. By working with someone who is skilled in SEO, you can create a plan—determine how much you want to spend per month, how many visitors you want to achieve, figure an average conversion rate and order size. This will help you establish what the revenue target should be. As a small

September 2018

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business, this is pretty affordable. If you want to go after bigger companies, it can add up to thousands of dollars per month. This is why it is important to think through your strategy and get the right resources on board to implement that strategy. All of this up-front work will also help you determine which equipment best fits your needs. And you’ll want to have a good upgrade strategy in place to accommodate your needs as your business grows.” Over the last two years, DPInnovations has put more than 20 installations in place, each customized to the specific needs of the customer. While most customers have DPInnovations under NDA, Smith reports that they are producing such things as high-quality silk scarves, high-end couture clothing, home furnishings and accessories, and more. “It’s very diverse,” he says. “There is no one formula that everyone uses.”

Businesses that want to truly capitalize on the digital textile printing opportunity must adopt an end-to-end workflow approach that enables near-lights-out-production from design through shipping.

Coming next from DPInnovations is a mass market app for Shopify that enables product visualization. Installing it will provide access to blank “scenes” for products (such as cushions); then, via a small line of code installed on the web site, the designs are placed within the selected scenes.

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The company plans to continue introducing additional functionality. “The next thing we will be introducing is a mass market app for Shopify. We strongly believe it is important to use established ecommerce solutions, rather than developing your own, and our experience indicates that Shopify is one of the easiest to implement and very affordable. For us, it’s a plug-and-play solution within our workflow infrastructure. The app we will be introducing enables product visualization. You install it on your store and you have access to blank scenes for products. A small line of code installed on the web site will put the design into a scene you select and return it to the web site. If you were selling 100 different cushion designs, as an example, you would have to make the cushions, photograph them and post the images. With this app, you supply the blank cushion image and the 100 designs are automatically applied. You can have all 100 in your online inventory in a matter of hours.” Smith calls the imaging process 2.5D. “It’s not quite 3D,” he says, “but you do have a perception of depth. It’s so easy to create and upload the images that you can easily have two or three different angles of view for each product. As the cost of true 3D comes down, we’ll look at implementing that as well.” The app is expected to be available at the end of 2018.

September 2018

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Printing Pulse Durst and OMET to Strengthen Distributor Relationship in North America

Registration for PRINT 18 Learning Experience Sessions Now Open Registration for The Learning Experience at PRINT 18, running September 30 - October 2 in Chicago, is open. The program features sessions taught by professionals in business, law, sales, marketing, human resources, operations and technology, from both within and outside the printing industry. With 50+ sessions presented in a variety of learning formats, including seminars, hands-on labs, luncheon sessions and panel discussions, The Learning Experience is geared to help attendees grow their businesses, learn new skills, discover fresh marketing approaches, boost productivity, improve operations, and gain new sales tips. Register for one, two or three day seminar packages, or choose the all-inclusive package to take advantage of the full Learning Experience program.

Durst and OMET have formed a strategic partnership in North America that allows OMET exclusive access for sales of the Durst Tau product line, effective August 1 with full implementation expected by Label Expo Americas 2018, where the new Tau 330 RSC will be showcased as a stand-alone label press system as well as in-line with the new OMET XJet digital-flexo hybrid press. The new partnership will provide label printers extended engineering capabilities, added services, and combined digital and flexo printing expertise from a single source. The combined efforts: are a natural fit of two premier brands, extend the reach of both companies in North America and, by utilizing OMET’s Chicago, IL office, provides a central convenient location for customer demonstrations and faster sample turnaround time. Durst has appointed Richard Thomas, formerly Business Development Manager for North American Label Segment, as the newly titled Director of North American Digital Business Initiative for Labels and Package Printing.

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September 2018

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Printing Pulse Roland DG Overwhelmed by Strength of Entries to Roland Hero Awards 2018, New Competition Recognizing and Celebrating Roland Users Across EMEA Roland DG has been overwhelmed by the strength of entries to the Roland Hero Awards 2018, a new competition launched in April to recognize and celebrate Roland users across EMEA. Among a wide variety of entrants from across the region, each has a unique story to tell. From the UK, Roland heard the heartbreaking tale of friendship from the disabled entrepreneur behind Hannah J Jewellery. Spanish windsurﬁng customisation brand In Your Face was proud to share their story of starting a successful business from almost nothing, and from Hungary, Rebel Graﬁkai Studio’s dedication to getting a major job completed was, frankly, exhausting! More stories have come from Italy, Sweden, The Netherlands and more. “We really are blown away by the entries we’ve already received for the Roland Hero Awards,” says Gillian Montanaro, Head of Marketing, EMEA at Roland DG. “Roland users are incredibly special and do extraordinary things – combining their innovation, enthusiasm and drive to get the absolute best results from their Roland equipment – but we weren’t expecting such a wealth of amazing stories. Some have been really exciting, a couple genuinely tear-jerking, and others simply jaw-dropping, discovering what Roland users achieve. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster reading the entries – and we’re not even halfway through! It’s going to be very hard to choose a winner.” The Roland Heroes initiative is open to all Roland DG users. The winner will jet off on a fantastic holiday – choosing between a relaxing stay in tropical Thailand, an exciting family trip to Florida, or an unforgettable visit to Iceland – and every eligible business that gets involved can display a badge of honour on their marketing material. A selected number of Spotlight Heroes will also be invited to share more about their business. The competition closing date is 31st October 2018. To learn more, visit: www.RolandHero.com.

Contex Celebrates Milestone at Esri User Conference Contex, the world leader in large format scanning, celebrated a milestone at the recent Esri User Conference where the company premiered the HD Ultra X 6000. Attendees raved over the advanced design and state-of-the-art technology of the 60-inch CCD scanner, the market’s widest, fastest, and most productive device available. Contex reports pre-orders for the HD Ultra X 6000 are 50% higher than for any other scanner launched in the company’s history. “The HD Ultra X 6000 is a home run, and the Esri User Conference was an ideal launching pad for this powerful scanner. Attendees were quick to recognize the 60inch scanner is an absolute breakthrough in precision, quality, and speed,” reports Steve Blanken, General Manager, Contex Americas. Carving a new landscape for today’s scanning professionals, the Contex HD Ultra X 6000 is a premium scanner with multiple productivity-boosting capabilities to give customers long-term value and a quick ROI. It is available as a standalone scanner (Contex AIO optional) or a ScanStation Pro conﬁguration, which includes a stand, touchscreen monitor, and Nextimage REPRO software (Contex AIO optional).

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Hop Industries to Showcase Hop-Syn Synthetic Paper at Three Industry-Leading Trade Shows Hop Industries, manufacturer of the durable and environmentally friendly Hop-Syn synthetic paper, announced it will be exhibiting at three major industry events this fall. Popular for P-O-P displays, transit signs, ID cards, and more, the full range of Hop-Syn will be presented in a series of live demonstrations and crowd-pleasing drawings at each of the following events: • Labelexpo Americas 2018: Booth #1650, September 25-27, 2018 • PRINT 18: Booth #556, September 30 - October 2, 2018 • 2018 SGIA Expo: Booth #3911, Las Vegas, October 18-20, 2018 Attendees can receive Hop’s new “how-to” booklet and product guide for its synthetic paper line, and meet with Hop experts who will be on hand to answer questions about the various uses of Hop-Syn synthetic paper for digital or conventional offset printing. “We are excited to showcase Hop-Syn at three industry-leading events. It’s a great opportunity for attendees to see, ﬁrst-hand, HopSyn’s wide range of uses and applications,” comments Jack Smith, Vice President, Hop Industries. For questions or more information visit www.hopsyn.com or call 800-524-0757.

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September 2018

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Printing Pulse Intertape Polymer Group Completes Acquisition of Polyair Inter Pack Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (IPG) has announced the closing of the previously-announced transaction to acquire 100% of the outstanding equity value in Polyair Inter Pack Inc. (“Polyair”), a North American supplier of protective packaging with headquarters in Toronto, Ontario, and Chicago, Illinois. The aggregate purchase price of the transaction is approximately $146 million (US dollars). “The addition of Polyair’s protective packaging offering is a strategic acquisition that expands our offering into a new product line thereby strengthening our overall product bundle,” said Greg Yull, president and CEO of IPG. “Polyair’s complementary product offering and established customer base provide us a two-faceted approach for cross-selling opportunities. In addition, as the e-commerce market continues to experience out-sized growth, we believe protective packaging demand will continue to be a key component of our future growth.” Deal and integration costs are expected to be approximately $2 million and $3 to $4 million, respectively, with the majority of integration costs expected to be recognized during 2019 and 2020. IPG estimates Polyair will generate approximately $20 to $22 million in adjusted EBITDA by 2021, which includes synergies and organic growth driven primarily by its e-commerce business channel. The purchase price was ﬁnanced with funds available under IPG’s revolving $600 million credit facility.

Ricoh Pro C7200X Digital Press with EFI Fiery DFE Certified by Color-Logic Color-Logic has certified the new Ricoh Pro C7200X digital sheetfed color press when equipped with the EFI Fiery E45A or E85A DFE. Confi rming the certification, Color-Logic CTO and Co-Founder Richard Ainge commented, “The new Ricoh Pro C7200X digital press with EFI Fiery DFE, when using white toner and the Color-Logic color system and design tools, enables printers to differentiate their printed marketing materials. Moreover, it provides those printers with a competitive edge over other printers not using white toner. The Ricoh Pro C7200X, which can print white as well as CMYK toners, enables Color-Logic licensees to create dramatic decorative effects and 250 foil-like colors in a single pass.” Color-Logic develops color communication systems and soft ware tool sets for a variety of special effect printing applications, providing brand owners, product managers, corporations, and their advertising agencies the ability to differentiate themselves and their clients with a simple print production process that yields dramatic results.

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XMPie Receives 2018 InterTech Technology Award XMPie has provided further information about its Circle PersonalEffect Edition software, which received the Printing Industries of America (PIA) 2018 InterTech Technology Award for helping print businesses to transform into omnichannel communication providers. “The InterTech Technology Awards are only given out to technologies the judges consider to be truly innovative and likely to have a signiﬁcant impact on our industry,” said James Workman, vice president for PIA’s Center for Technology and Research. “The latest edition of Circle meets that criteria because of its state-of-the-art approach to designing, deploying, automating, and measuring personalized omnichannel marketing campaigns, and because it gives companies a way to transform their businesses and differentiate their services.” Circle ﬁrst launched in 2013, which since had three major versions released, the most recent being the Circle PersonalEffect Edition in 2017, is the only omnichannel communications solution on the market that brings together individualized content,

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and a marketing automation workﬂow. Circle is a full-featured marketing automation tool for managing personalized omnichannel content and campaigns with a single integrated view of the customer. Because all the touchpoints, both print and digital, can be automated across the entire campaign, the projects can generate revenue long after they has been set up. And because the same logic and data are shared across all the touchpoints and can be driven by specific conditions, consumers see consistent messages and content across all media. The award will be received by XMPie at the 2018 InterTech Technology Awards Gala on Sept. 30 in Chicago, during the PRINT 18 trade show where Circle will be demonstrated in the Xerox Booth No. 1621.

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Get your Free Pass to see and research equipment, products and new technology all under one roof. This is a once in a year experience. Register Today!

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Application Spotlight:

Print Shop Pairs DTG Inkjet with DTG Dryer to Boost Quality, Capacity

&C Quality Printing, Inc. has grown from a small offset printer to an advanced, full-service print shop. Founded in 1978 by Mirko Coric, the company is now run by his son, Maximus Coric, who says that C&C’s mom-and-pop mindset has never changed. To better customize orders and print on demand, Coric DTG-printed shirts looked great coming off the inkjet printer purchased a direct-to-garment compared to former heat pressing that muddled the colors. (DTG) inkjet printer. After processing the artwork on a plastisol, water-based and discharge computer, the design is printed inks, but it offers a special “pre-heating” directly onto the surface of the garment function that also allows rapid curing of using aqueous-based pigmented ink, white water-based inks printed digitalwhich the garment’s fibers absorb. DTG ly, including garments simultaneously printing allows for thousands of colors pretreated on Kornit machines. and gradients, making it suitable for The unit’s key difference is an intense printing full-color photographs. pre-heating zone that surges the ink “DTG printing is very versatile,” says temperature to over 300ºF within the Coric. “Since there are no screens, each first several inches of conveyor travel, graphic is sent to the printer digitally, maximizing the time the image spends so you can have variable data in the at its optimum curing temperature form of several different files. We have before exiting the heating chamber the flexibility to print 100 shirts with (see sidebar). 100 different prints, and we’re able to The dryer is equipped with a 30 in. charge more because people want that (76 cm) wide conveyor belt with three customization.” 24 in. (61 cm) wide infrared heaters that are height adjustable, allowing Coric to Infrared conveyor dryer position images at a consistent distance corrects compromised curing from the heaters whether printed on “Printed shirts looked amazing when T-shirts, sweatshirts or sweatpants. they came off the inkjet printer,” Coric “I used to have to wait for the heat says, “but when they were transferred press, and had to buy a second one just to the heat press for curing, the press to keep up with the digital printer,” says muted the colors and made them look Coric. “Now, with the high-density inmuddy. I had to sell them at a discount frared dryer, we’re waiting for the shirts just to get rid of them. I knew there had to come off the printer. to be a better way to cure the shirts.” “The maximum temperature of the Then at a trade show, Coric saw a heat press was about half that of the demonstration of an infrared conLittleRed’s temperature,” he says. “Now, veyor dryer developed specifically we’re able to heat the shirts up quickly. for DTG-printed textiles called a ‘LitThe heating process actually turns the tleRed X3D.” He purchased the dryer pigment into a gas that permeates the and reports a three-month payback pores of the shirt, thereby setting the saying, “Because our shirts looked image that much better.” great, we were able to command In the minute that it took to cure higher prices for them.” one shirt on the heat press, the DTG Manufactured by Vastex InternationContinued on page 62 al, the dryer can cure screen printed

He points to an example on press: fourth-generation wedding invitations for a family that ﬁrst came through C&C’s doors in the late 70s. “We printed wedding invitations for the great-grandmother, the grandmother, the mother, and recently for the daughter,” says Coric. “Our tagline is ‘welcome to the family,’ and it’s the family nature of our business that allows us to build trusting relationships with our customers.”

DTG printing expands options Coric considers manual screen printing ideal for identical designs consisting of one or two colors. “It captures economies of scale and scope to make the per-piece cost extremely low,” he says. “The more you print, the more you save.” Conversely, he says multicolor garments were more time-consuming and costly to produce on the manual press because they required prepress equipment to produce a screen for each color.

Curing DTG drying problems Because DTG-printed images are extremely wet, they do not begin to dry quickly until they reach approximately 300ºF. To raise the ink to this temperature as rapidly as possible, the specialized X3D dryer features a pre-heating section that exposes the ink to intense heat within the first few inches of conveyor travel. By shortening pre-heat time, the amount of time the ink is exposed to its optimum curing temperature is lengthened, allowing conveyor belt speeds and drying rates to be maximized.

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September 2018

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Sales Clinic:

One Step Ahead of the Shoe Shine

aul Simon is a businessman. It’s a different kind of business than yours, perhaps, but in 50+ years as a singer/songwriter/performer he has faced the same core selling challenge you face every day. His business depends on getting people to buy what he has to sell, and he actually reﬂected on that in a song he wrote for the Bridge Over Troubled Water album all the way back in 1970.

I’m one step ahead of the shoeshine, Two steps away from the county line, Just trying to keep my customers satisfied, Satisfied. I reflected on that song myself in a sales coaching call this morning. My client was complaining about a customer she can’t seem to satisfy, no matter what she does.

By Dave Fellman

Good Customers

President , David Fellman & Associates

I think you know that there are good customers and not-so-good customers. At the far end of the not-so-good scale, there are some who are simply bad customers. I’ll come back to them in a moment. For now, let me ask this question: How do you define a good customer? I would guess that the first criteria you consider is sales volume. Fair enough, but isn’t it true that bigger is not always better? Sales volume is often indicative of profitability, but it’s not always definitive. And profitability is the real issue. In fact, the customer my client was complaining about today is a high-volume, low-profit customer, a not-forprofit organization that is especially price-driven. She has told me in the past that they “eat up a lot of overhead.” I’ve told her in the past that’s a dangerous way of thinking, because she’s using a lot of her capacity to service this customer – and I’m not just talking about production capacity. In addition to press time and pre-press time, this customer also requires a great deal of sales time and customer service time. The bottom line is that they’re more trouble than they’re worth, and that’s how I define a bad customer.

Dave Fellman is the president of David Fellman & Associates, Raleigh, NC, a sales and marketing consulting firm serving numerous segments of the graphic arts industry. Contact Dave by phone at 919-606-9714 or by e-mail at dmf@ davefellman.com. Visit his website at www.davefellman.com.

Bad Customers So what should you do with any customers who are more trouble than they’re worth? You may be Find this article at PrintingNews.com/12427397 thinking, “He’s going to tell me I should ﬁre them,”

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and it may come to that, but ending the relationship should always be Plan B. Plan A should always be to talk about the issues and see if there’s some way to resolve them. It’s been my experience that there are only two reasons that bad customers exist. The most obvious is because some people are jerks. Maybe less obvious is because others are civilians – that’s my term for people who don’t have professional knowledge of how to work well with a printing company. It has been my experience that civilians can often be trained to be better customers. The jerks? Well, shouldn’t we let them be someone else’s customers – and somebody else’s problems?

Bad Performance? That takes us back to the fundamental issue of what it takes to keep your customers satisfied. Let’s look at that from an opposite perspective. What would cause them to be less than fully satisfied? Obviously quality failures or service failures would accomplish that, but let’s dig deeper, especially on the service end. Printers tend to think that “good service” is mostly about providing a quality product, delivering it on time, and charging a fair price. Print buyers tend to talk about “meeting or exceeding my expectations.” I’ve heard printers use those words too, but I’ve also observed that, all too often, printers are completely in the dark about what those expectations are! So with apologies to Paul Simon, let’s add some lyrics to his song: I’m going to talk to my customers, Before I print for them, and afterwards too. I’m going to make sure I understand what they want from me And I’m going to make sure I get what I need from them too And then we all can be happy and satisfied, Satisfied.

September 2018

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Association Insights:

International Sign Association Announces Launch of ISA-UK, Powered by the British Sign & Graphics Association By Lori Anderson President & CEO, International Sign Association Lori Anderson is president & CEO of the International Sign Association (ISA), which serves the international on-premise signage and visual communications industry. ISA’s programs include educational conferences, government relations, technology research, and the International Sign Exposition.

he International Sign Association announces its newest partnership, ISA-UK, powered by the British Sign & Graphics Association. ISA-UK will allow ISA and BSGA to work together on issues common across the sign, graphics and visual communications industry, including codes and regulations, research, workforce education and events.

“The new relationship provides a common voice for the sign industry on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Brandon Hensley, ISA’s chief operating officer. “When the global sign, graphics and visual communication industry comes together, it allows us to provide stronger programs to our members and to stay ahead of Seated, from left: David Derbyshire, BSGA President and Lori Anderson, ISA President and CEO. trends that are happening worldwide.” ISA will immediately support BSGA’s annu“Th is is an exciting move for ISA and for al British Sign Awards, held November 8 in BSGA,” said Lori Anderson, ISA president and Leicester, UK. The awards honor everything from CEO. “The business world is no longer contraditional crafts skills to the production of giant tained by borders and this partnership offers signs that combine creative design with heavy tremendous opportunities for the growth of engineering and construction skill. our industry. Together, we are stronger.” “While some of the nuances of the UK and US may be different, as we have held conversations, we realize just how many of the same issues we face,” said David Catanach, BSGA Director. “Together we can maximize our strengths and increase the success and growth of our member companies.” Over the coming months ISA and BSGA will work together to maximize the value proposition to both associations’ members. ISA’s To View: whattheythink.com/r/91362 education platform will be enhanced to meet the needs of BSGA members. The new joint venISA Partners with BSGA Lori Anderson, President and CEO of the International ture will focus on increasing education to the Sign Association (ISA), joins Richard Romano on Skype planner community and leveraging existing to announce ISA’s partnership with the British Sign & research, as well as exploring other needs of Graphics Association to form ISA-UK and bring even more the global sign industry. opportunities to its members.

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Association Insights:

Defining The Future –

TOGETHER

What drives the strategy here at the Association for PRINT Technologies is that the world is becoming faster and more complex every day.

read Cary Sherburne’s article “Taking Stock of Industry Associations” with a bit of a grin. I thought about how much has changed with us since she interviewed me for that piece, and it hasn’t even been four months. If you haven’t read it, you need to check it out here: printingnews.com/12421402

Aside from being the first person to reach out and congratulate me when I was hired (and subsequently pepper me with questions) I have high regard for Cary because she is not afraid to surface difficult conversations. The industry association landscape is changing, and that change is going to happen, voluntarily or involuntarily, as she notes. That is the way free markets function.

By Thayer Long President, Association for PRINT Technologies (APTech) Thayer Long is president of the Association for PRINT Technologies (formerly known as NPES), and serves as president of the Graphic Arts Education and Research Foundation (GAERF). Mr. Long joined the Association in April 2016, bringing eight years of effective leadership experience, strategic plan development, foundation work, and trade show management.

Find this article at PrintingNews.com/12428207

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An aligned printing supply chain, where all partners are helping achieve positive business outcomes for each other, is a climate ripe for huge rewards. What drives the strategy here at the Association for PRINT Technologies is that the world is becoming faster and more complex every day. Our approach is to build a community that brings the printing industry value chain partners together to collaborate in an opensourced environment. Collaboration provides endless opportunities. We started this journey 18 months ago and we are continuing, brickby-brick, to put our plans into action and convene the industry. A major announcement—which we will be making at PRINT 18 in Chicago—is how APTech will be opening its doors for greater engagement with print service providers, (PSPs). This engagement will be achieved in an open-sourced, open-structured way. This has been a long time in the making. We believe we have identified key gaps for

this community which are not being adequately served, or frankly addressed at all. This includes areas like business intelligence, human resource development, diversity outreach, and thought leadership. We believe also that not only is the industry changing, but so too are how communities of people are choosing to engage with each other, with associations, and at events. In short, the association model is changing, as is the trade show model. We are moving beyond them and deﬁning each on our terms. With the inclusion of this entire new segment of our community, APTech is actively seeking innovative print service providers to serve in leadership roles here at the organization. An aligned printing supply chain, where all partners are helping achieve positive business outcomes for each other, is a climate ripe for huge rewards. Innovation in the printing industry needs to come not just from the technology PSPs purchase and deploy, but from the business model of PSPs themselves. Success breeds complacency, and businesses need to be willing to risk what they have built today for a chance at success and something even better tomorrow. It is our intention to demonstrate “how” to achieve success, not just tell you “what” you need to do. Competition can breed conformity. True entrepreneurship stems from studying industries outside print which have successfully, and in some cases unsuccessfully, navigated transformation. APTech and PRINT 18 are about looking forward—not back. The business you have today is not the same as it was a few years ago, and we all know it will be different again a few years ahead.

September 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

Full STEAM Ahead: BLUE RIDGE FAB LAB and 4-H Partner to Offer 21st-Century Learning—and Wide-Format Printing

ead, heart, hands, and health. Those were the original four development areas around which 4-H was founded way back in 1902. Since then, 4-H has grown into a network of youth organizations with more than six million members in the U.S., all students ages ﬁve to 21. We may remember 4-H from county fairs and similar events, and while the original aim of 4-H was to bring agricultural research to the next generation of farmers (the organization is still administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture), it has become a leader in offering STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education—and, in fact, 4-H’s presence at today’s county fairs are just as likely to feature STEM or STEAM (adding “art” into the mix) project competitions as livestock or produce judging.

By Richard Romano Richard Romano has been writing about the graphic communications industry for 20 years. He is an industry analyst and author or co-author of more than half a dozen books. His most recent book is The Home Office That Works! Make Working at Home a Success—A Guide for Entrepreneurs and Telecommuters, www.homeofficeworks.com.

Students from the White Mountain Apache Tribe 4-H Junior Leadership Academy participated in the Fab Lab.

“I like STEAM instead of STEM because art is an integral component to any innovator,” said Kevin Woolridge, Co-Director of the Blue Ridge/ UA 4-H Fab Lab, based in Pinetop-Lakeside, Ariz. In January, 2018, Woolridge opened the new Fab Lab—short for fabrication laboratory—in partnership with 4-H. Roland DGA and Epilog Laser are two sponsors of the lab, and have provided wide-format printing equipment, 3D milling machines, and laser engraving and cutting equipment, among other gear. “Both of those companies have been amazingly generous to the program,” said Woolridge. The M.O. of the Fab Lab is to offer a hands-on approach to learning. “Basically, what we’re doing is trying to prototype a new service delivery model for STEM education,” explained Woolridge. “For years, 4-H has had a push on trying to increase the amount of STEM and our thought was that by partnering with them and building a Fab Lab with a network of many labs throughout the state, we would then be able to funnel more kids through.” While fab labs have typically been offered by wealthier schools and school districts—and out of reach of the poorer ones—by working with 4-H, Woolridge is able

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September 2018

to open STEM training to any student. “We’re a small town in the mountains of Arizona, and we’ve had kids coming from all over the state participating in the program,” he said. “What it boils down to is trying to find a mechanism where we can create a fab lab learning environment that is open to everybody instead of just students from the school it’s situated in.” More than 200 students pass through the lab each day. During school hours, the Fab Lab is a resource for students at Blue Ridge Unified School District #32, and after school it becomes a 4-H program. The training is entirely student-directed and is centered around building specific projects, with Woolridge and other staff functioning more as coaches than teachers. And the projects the kids work on are light years beyond making a baking-soda volcano or a spinning model of an atom. “I had one student who developed a time-offlight sensor system that’s accurate within 10 centimeters at 200 yards,” said Woolridge. “He used the Arduino platform, and did the coding, the soldering, and the electronics to build it. I have another student that developed an ultrason-

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ic tractor beam. He used the 3D printer to build his parabolic top, and used the electronics to wire the components, and did the coding and the soldering.” After completing a project, students then develop related informational materials—posters, flyers, labels, etc.—and print them on a Roland printer. “The goal is the kids build a project or a prototype that incorporates all the pieces into it,” said Woolridge. Students don’t have to have any background in any of the elements before setting foot in the Fab Lab. “They come to the class not knowing a single thing about how to make their project,” said Woolridge. “They create a learning plan based upon what they want their end product to be. After they figure out their learning plan, they then go through the tutorials, learn the different software and the tools until they are able to complete their final project. Essentially it’s student-driven, project-based learning where instead of me as the teacher standing in front of them and saying, ‘do this, do this, do this,’ the students have to figure out how to get to their end goal. They’re intrinsically motivated to gather the knowledge.” Even non-STEM-oriented students are able to avail themselves of the Fab Lab. “Our language arts teacher set up a project where students had to read three dystopian novels and after they read the novels, they had to come to the Fab Lab and create their own dystopian world,” said Woolridge. “Once they fabricated it using all the modalities within the lab, they then had to sit down and write a story using their model as the reference to their story.” Woolridge is a math teacher by training (he also teaches chemistry and physics) and the idea for the Fab Lab came about thanks to a movie. He had seen the 2016 film Hidden Figures, the true story of Katherine Johnson and other African-American mathematicians working for NASA in the early days of the space program. “I thought that would be a great movie to use in a math class, to show some excerpts and teach students where they can go with math,” said Woolridge. “So I started researching it and I landed on the NASA webpage that had an entire project-based learning module on [Johnson’s] life.” He then came across various “NASA Challenges,” undertaken by schools around the country. “I clicked on ‘past winners’ and

cess stories. For example, there have already been students who were initially not planning on going to college—headed for vocational school instead—but thanks to their experience in the Fab Lab, are now college-bound. With their experience running printing equipment, are any students perhaps looking at a career in the graphic Continued on page 62

started researching what those [school] districts have and what our district doesn’t. Every single school that was a past winner that I looked at had a fab lab or a maker space. So that’s kind of where all this got started.” The Fab Lab only opened in January, so it’s too early to gauge the impact the experience has had on students, but there have been some preliminary suc-

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New

Products X-32 Flatbed UV LED Printer The Xante X-32 Industrial Production Color UV Printer from Xante combines the versatility of wide-format UV LED printing with a compact footprint, amazing ease of use, and a comfortably affordable price. Along with its 24’’ x 36’’ vacuum bed, the X-32 features a maximum print height of 11.25’’ and an open design that accommodates material that extends far beyond the bed. Six industrial, latest-generation Ricoh print heads deliver high-quality 720 x 1200 dpi output in full color with white or clear included. The X-32 can turn out 4-color process signage at up to 100 square feet per hour. Flat substrates may be the most requested jobs for it but the X-32’s 11.25’’ print height accepts jobs for tall or irregular-shaped objects weighing up to 66 pounds and not commonly printed through flatbed devices. Print on assembled products or packaging where screen printing or labeling were once the only options. Print on porous dimensional objects such as wood or canvas. The X-32 takes up less than 30 square feet of floorspace making it ideal for even small shops that want to improve productivity and profitability. Powered by Xante’s innovative iQueue workflow software, white and clear ink controls are easy and powerful. Make-ready tasks such as color matching, density control, and imposition are incredibly simple operations. Thanks to iQueue including sequential numbers, barcodes, or variable data is simple. The size, quality and versatility make the Xante X-32 a workhorse in any shop. PrintingNews.com/12428025

Onyx Graphics, Inc. Sets New Standards to Support Global Customers With an immense global network and countless end users, Onyx Graphics continues to create new and viable resources with frequent content updates, across the entire ONYX portfolio. They include myonyx, an online gateway containing smart business tools, product help, video tutorials, knowledge-based articles, and whitepapers to help keep ONYX users’ businesses running smoothly; ONYX TV, the official ONYX YouTube channel with quick tips, how-to videos and ONYX news; ONYX Professional Services and Training, web-based and hands-on ONYX certiﬁcation workshops to further customer knowledge on ONYX software; and ONYX Advantage, the company’s subscription-based support and maintenance program with easy access to online help and a dedicated technical support hotline service center. Customers can access these web-based resources to stay up-to-date with the latest news from Onyx Graphics including announcements on product updates and all available learning opportunities. PrintingNews.com/12427261

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September 2018

Mac Papers Introduces ArgentT Brand Wide Format Media Mac Papers, announces the launch of its exclusive ArgentT brand of wide format media. The Argent product portfolio includes digital banners, pressure-sensitive digital vinyls, digital imaging papers and UV laminates. “We are thrilled to offer such a strong lineup of high-quality media products,” stated Marty Davis, director of wide format and graphics at Mac Papers. “The Argent brand of media in combination with our top-notch equipment service platform and technical expertise delivers a true trifecta of value-added wide format solutions for our customers.” Mac Papers Wide Format Business Development Manager Ash Weekley, who led the extensive Argent product selection process, stated, “The Argent offering is an important facet of our company’s overall commitment to help customers advance their wide format efforts. We are extremely conﬁdent that our Argent products deliver the reliable and consistent performance that commercial printers and sign and display businesses need.” Argent media products are in stock at all Mac Papers branch locations across the Southeast and available for hands-on demonstrations at the company’s wide format demo centers in Jacksonville and Orlando, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; and Nashville, Tennessee. PrintingNews.com/12427385

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Products The Ghent Workgroup Announces New User Interface The Ghent Workgroup has designed a user-friendly interface to make it simpler for end users to easily navigate and find GWG settings within the most commonly used applications for professional publishing workflows. The application settings can be downloaded and installed from the GWG website. GWG settings are designed to help the user to automatically and properly create and check the quality and reliability of all PDF files. The new Interface offers fast and easy access on any device to existing GWG settings in all popular applications such as Adobe Acrobat, InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop as well as suppliers’ PDF preflight and workflows such as Esko, EFI, Ricoh, Agfa, Kodak, and DALIM. For some applications GWG settings are already built in – pdfToolbox by Callas, Enfocus Pitstop and Adobe Acrobat Pro. It couldn’t be easier, for each application there are 2 simple links: first to download the application settings and second to access the GWG specs file. Please note: GWG recommends users make sure they are using the most current version of the application together with the most current version of the GWG settings. PrintingNews.com/12428677

PrintPro - Another Winning Foam Board from EnCore Products PrintPro is EnCore Products’ newest edition to printable boards. PrintPro’s dense polystyrene core and ultra-smooth paper surface deliver dramatic print results, excellent contrast, and stunning color vibrancy. The premium printing surface requires no surface preparation and readily accepts most glues, inks, and paints. PrintPro can be used for digital imaging, screen printing, POP displays, laminating, signage, and more! When combining rigidity and high-resolution print performance, PrintPro is the clear and economical choice. PrintingNews.com/12425168

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Océ ColorWave 3000 Printing System Offers Reliable WideFormat Printing for Creators Canon U.S.A., Inc. has announced the launch of the new Océ ColorWave 3000 series of large-format color printing systems. These next generation printers are being launched on the heels of the announcement made earlier this year that over 10,000 Océ ColorWave printers, powered by this technology, have been installed worldwide. Based on ten years of customer use, the Océ ColorWave 3500 and 3700 systems offer hassle-free operation, consistent high-quality output and the ability to handle a wide range of large format applications. The Océ ColorWave 3000 series incorporates a wealth of patented innovative technologies designed to help walk-up users save time and costs while increasing productivity. With a media capacity of two to six rolls, flexible workflow and IT integration, the Océ ColorWave 3000 series seamlessly fits into large format environments with minimal operator intervention. The Océ ColorWave 3000 offers true “green-button printing” – excellent print output without hassle. User training and operational requirements are reduced with Océ Print Assistant, as it automatically suggests the right print mode for the job based on the file content, detects media requirements and the printer automatically switches to the right roll. With the Océ ColorWave 3000 series, customers invest in a solution that meets their printing needs for today and the future. Whether their focus remains on CAD documents or is shifting toward graphic arts, printing B&W or color, or printing a wealth of applications, this print engine can confidently meet their high requirements. The Océ ColorWave 3000 series comes in two models: the Océ ColorWave 3500 for walk up printing environments demanding optimal ease-of-use and the Océ ColorWave 3700 for customers requiring higher media capacity and media versatility, without compromising usability. PrintingNews.com/12428441

September 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

New

Products Epson DS Transfer Photo Paper Epson DS Transfer Photo Paper is a high-quality, lightweight dye-sublimation transfer paper specifically designed for photo panels and other rigid substrates. The paper, when combined with Epson SureColor F-Series dye-sublimation printers, inks and Wasatch RIP support, creates a complete solution for producing advanced print quality and vibrant images with minimal grain, consistency and reliability. The DS Transfer Photo Paper delivers excellent color gamut and black density, with reduced grain and mottling for smoother flesh tones and cleaner, lighter colors. In addition, it offers superb handling with almost no curl and warping under the heat of a flat press. The paper offers high ink transfer ability with slight transparency, which helps register the printed paper to the rigid substrate. Best used with the SureColor F6200, Wasatch SoftRIP version 7.6 offers full support for the DS Transfer Photo Paper for color management, print cost estimation and color profiles. The DS Transfer Photo Paper is especially beneficial for the SureColor F6200 user who is producing high-quality photographic prints on ChromaLuxe plates. There are a lot of multipurpose transfer paper solutions available; this is one of the first that is specifically designed for rigid photo print quality, reducing grain to provide a more dynamic range of color. PrintingNews.com/12426274

HP Latex R2000 Plus Printer The HP Latex R2000 Plus Printer is the first Latex hybrid solution for rigid and flexible sign and display printing in one device. Customers will now be able to expand their offerings into new, high-value applications while also opening fresh creative ideas and concepts for sign and display. Coupled with the HP Latex White Ink – delivering the glossiest white on transparent and colored media – the HP Latex R2000 Plus Printer powers print solutions providers with ultimate versatility through a single ink set on flexible or rigid media up to 98” wide. Applications such as retail and outdoor signage, window graphics, events and exhibitions, decoration and car wrapping are now a possibility. Advanced engineering and driving high productivity, the HP Latex R2000 Plus Printer performance specifics include: High-speed quality up to 947 sqf/h (88 sqm/h) – continuous loading High accuracy belt system and productive workflow with 14 automatic independent chambers Reliable flexible printing, leveraging assets from the current portfolio, up to 100kg rolls Redesigned HP Latex Inks to achieve vibrant color gamut on rigid while preserving media gloss and feel, and prints with no smell Durable and flexible water-based ink for high adhesion and scratch resistance with a new HP Latex Overcoat Lower temperatures allowing wide media versatility Automatic maintenance, smart vacuum, and easy loading Productivity enhanced with HP Smart Services PrintingNews.com/12427771

Image Access Exhibits New Products at the IFLA Exhibition in Kuala Lumpur Image Access exhibits every year at the IFLA World Library Information Congress and will again bring the latest products to the 2018 IFLA Exhibition. With the WideTEK 36ART, we introduce a new technology to the library world. Particularly in Asia, we see many interesting applications, as here you can ﬁnd scripts and books on a variety of materials. Books on palm leaves, Chinese calligraphy as well as rolled texts and paintings, can all be scanned contact free on the WideTEK 36ART. The maximum resolution for doing so is 600 DPI on the overall A1 format and you will be amazed to see the brilliant results. PrintingNews.com/12425276

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September 2018

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New

Products PitStop Pro 2018 Sintra Eclipse to be Introduced for Easy Printing of Graphics That Pop on a Black PVC Board 3A Composites USA is pleased to announce that it has expanded its PRO Series line of graphic display boards featuring enhanced printing surfaces with Sintra ECLIPSE – a next-generation graphic display board designed for the easy production of graphics that pop on a black PVC board. Sintra ECLIPSE offers printers the latest advancement and ease in printing vivid images on a black PVC board while retaining the dramatic dark look of black edges all around. Sintra ECLIPSE is comprised of moderately expanded polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in a homogenous black sheet with low-gloss thin white PVC on one surface that is specially designed for screen and digital printing applications. Sintra ECLIPSE saves processors both time and money by eliminating the need for either print pre-coating or laminating processes. The thin white PVC layer offers a superior surface for printing and is designed to be nearly invisible against this graphic display board’s dark edges, maintaining the dramatic look of a black rigid substrate. Sintra ECLIPSE is perfect for creating point-of-purchase displays, exhibits and kiosks, and interior signage and can be used in a wide variety of applications and is available in the 3mm, 6mm and 12.7mm thicknesses in 48-inch by 96-inch sheets in the one white facer/one black facer/black core color combination. PrintingNews.com/12428667

Although PitStop Pro 2018 is very feature rich, there is one unique and innovative feature that we think qualifies for the Pioneer award. That is the capturing and display of user analytics. This is certainly a first for a preflight solution and also we believe unique within prepress applications as well. If a user chooses to opt-in, Enfocus captures and displays to them data about the type of files they are working with, the amount of files, the number of preflight errors they receive and the type. We also tell them what kind of errors and corrections they use. They can review this data over different time periods as well, to review historical performance. Enfocus aggregates the data from all users, and will use this data to set standard benchmarks that users can measure themselves against. This, in itself, is also a first in the industry. This ability to measure prepress performance truly allows users to refine their preflight process to ensure that they are getting the optimal use from the checking and automatic correction aspects of the software, and helps them to minimize the amount of (normally non-chargeable) manual corrections they are doing. Using the historical data they can also monitor the ongoing success and increased performance of any changes they make to ensure the benefits are being sustained. PrintingNews.com/12428657

RICOH Pro C9200 Series Printers are constantly in search of technology that is more reliable, dependable and predictable with greater color consistency, registration and ease of use. The RICOH Pro C9200 and C9210 Graphic Arts Editions were developed to exceed these expectations. The RICOH Pro C9200 series offers printers a competitive edge, with speeds up to 135 ppm on stocks up to 49 inches long and 470 gsm. These additions to Ricoh’s Commercial & Industrial Printing Business Group portfolio set a new standard for best-in-class price performance in its category. These powerful presses provide an affordable, predictable way for businesses to maximize revenue due to their high uptime and reliability. The C9200 series empowers customers to expand into new markets with the ability to produce book jackets, six-page brochures and other unique applications. PrintingNews.com/12427799

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Wide-Format & Signage

Human Resources

Inside Technical Textiles

Continued from page 41

Continued from page 45

to recognize that generational labels are broad and there are enormous individual differences within these age brackets. Begin by considering the importance of assembling members of various ages in a room together to speak openly about their differences, strengths and values that they each bring to the work environment. Establish a forum for continuing open communication, and mentoring and training programs. Help employees of different generations coach and support one another. Although colleagues of various ages might have different expectations of communication and work styles, this kind of exchange can go a long way to nurturing an understanding, and building a dynamic team.

Smart textiles that can change color are also being developed. Google’s Project Jacquard is developing color-shifting threads that change their hues in response to electrical charges. This is more than whether the dress is blue or white—remember that? It uses coated conductive threads with thermochromatic pigments that change colors in slow, subtle ways. In the Google project, a technology called Ebb could eventually lead to brand-new types of smart clothing. Imagine being able to change your shirt color from black to green on St. Patrick’s Day, or have your clothing respond to your mood. And no more

worries about mismatched socks! Ebb goes beyond color change, though, and opens the possibility of wearable technology in your clothes—you could check your shirt cuff to see if you have any missed calls or messages, for example. From aerospace to building materials to wearable tech, the advances in technical textiles are enabling new frontiers for manufacturers, brands and more. For the rest of this series, we will be interviewing professionals in this arena and sharing their developments, and their projections for the future, to keep you up to date on the latest in technical textile development. Stay tuned!

Application Spotlight Continued from page 52

Full STEAM Ahead

dryer can cure six to eight shirts. Most important to Coric, however, is the enhanced quality. “Ink adhesion has improved and designs are clear and crisp with vibrant colors,” he explains.

Continued from page 57

arts, or becoming potentially the next generation of Roland customers? “We’ve had a lot of students come through who, once they use a product, are intently interested in learning more and are starting to carve out a niche,” said Woolridge. “For example, we’re getting ready to open school and we need to do a bunch of awards for the school. So I have a group of students who are sitting down and doing all those awards. That’s part of the neat thing about the Fab Lab: there are so many different modalities in here that any student can ﬁnd an area that they didn’t necessarily know of and now have sparked an interest in it and are developing skills.” “It’s ﬂipping education on its head,” he added. “By having kids in the Fab Lab doing everything from bio-mimicry and medical applications to wildlife sciences, to civic engagement activities, it opens up brand new worlds for them. They start making connections with professionals in the community and start learning about professional choices that they’ve never known about before.” And the affiliation with 4-H has opened up these opportunities to any student in the state. “Our goal is that every student has project-based learning and the Fab Lab is the tool that we’re using to do that,” Woolridge said.

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Quality shirts boost sales C&C Quality Printing has occupied the same 2,000 sq ft (186 sq m) retail space since 1992—just six doors down from its original location. Despite the company’s expansion, Coric says he has no plans to move to a larger facility. “We want our customers to feel comfortable with us,” he says. “They know where to ﬁnd us, and they know when they come to the store that we’re there for them.” In addition to the DTG printer and infrared conveyor dryer, Coric’s shop has three digital high-speed printers, a

latex printer for large-format printing, embroidery machines and a binding department, as well as creasing, cutting, perforating and UV coating services. He also offers offset and screen printing services at an off-site facility. Coric says he may use the infrared conveyor dryer for other curing purposes in the future—or he may purchase a second unit for use at his screen printing facility. But for now, the X3D dryer remains tethered to the DTG printer. “For us, the dryer brought life to DTG printing,” he says. “We’re able to get those bright, vibrant colors, and they stay that way. It’s gained a lot of attention, and it’s bringing in more customers. Before, it was hard to sell the shirts. Now I’m able to command a premium.”

European Market Continued from page 42

Another player is Gelato, based in Scandinavia, which already has a global reach, and with their acclaimed platform and focus on quality, even global brands are now looking into their services. As a result, Gelato’s growth has been in double digits. These companies, regardless of whether they’re printers or facilitators, are taking advantage of a market situation which, in my opinion,

September 2018

boils down to the fact that traditional printers simply don’t market their services, and to some extent seem to have lost their willingness to believe in the future. Low prices and vigorous entrepreneurship are just two of the competitive challenges Americans should consider before entering the European market—but if you have ideas on how we can expand the market, you are more than welcome!

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PRINT 18 ‘Must See’ Products DocketManager MIS/Web-to-Print v3.12 DocketManager has been built from the ground-up by printers, for printers. The DocketManager System is a cloud/SaaS (Software as a Service) based print management solution with a fully integrated Web-to-Print system. DocketManager features unlimited portals that are designed exclusively for the printing and graphic arts industry and are seamlessly integrated with the MIS system. DocketManager is a powerful software that includes a complete suite of modules for customer management, estimating, production, accounting, and ecommerce; all combined in a single integrated and industry leading solution. With Docket-

Manager, print providers will be able to manage an entire company from one system and start leveraging the ﬂexible and comprehensive tools needed to maximize efficiency, and stay competitive in today’s fast-paced marketplace. The browser interface requires no installation of any software locally. DocketManager is designed to handle full or hybrid shops that include digital, offset, wide format, label, in-plant operations, educational institutions, inventory distribution as well as 3D and other specialty markets. PrintingNews.com/12427625

Customer’s Canvas Packaging Customer’s Canvas Packaging is a powerful online editor which brings the entire ordering experience for packaging products to the new level. Instead of placing orders in the old-fashion way contacting back and forth with the printer, Customer’s Canvas Packaging allows a printing company to build a new workﬂow enabling clients to order packaging in self-service fashion. All of the following tasks can be supported depending on the printer’s unique needs: • Generating parametric die-cut templates based on user input. • Loading static package models created in 3rd party packaging CAD solutions. • Personalizing pre-made packaging templates or creating package designs from scratch. • Applying variable data printing for personalized marketing campaigns. • Generating 3D package previews. • Saving and loading customers’ projects. • Generating hi-res ﬁles for personalized package designs. Thanks to the open architecture of Customer’s Canvas Packaging and its robust APIs, enabling printers to integrate the editor into any system, no matter whether it is built based on an in-house, commercial, or open source platform. PrintingNews.com/12427544

QA in the Cloud Recognizing that implementing a reliable and automated quality assurance process for document testing is a challenge for many organizations, Crawford Technologies leveraged its own regression testing tools to create a suite of products that address a range of production QA needs. PrintingNews.com/12427614

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VRCut Ready Triumph 5260 Cutter Manufactured in Germany, UL/CUL approved VRCut Ready Triumph Cutters are world renowned for their power, precision, and ease of operation. Exclusive SCS™ safety features put them among the safest cutters in the world. The first cutter ever with the integrated VRCut soft ware, VRCut Ready Triumph Cutters come included with Lytrod’s groundbreaking operator guidance software. VRCut ties together the document design and cutter workflow, providing an intelligent operator guidance system that directly controls the cutter back gauge and allows operators of any experience level the ability to cut with confidence. VRCut has two components: VRCut Controller & VRCut Impose. To use VRCut Controller, the operator views the computer attached to the cutter and scans the document barcode that has been placed on the PDF created by VRCut Impose. Automatically, the cut sequence actions display on the screen with the current step highlighted and providing full visual and text-based instructions for the operator’s next action. Once the operator performs a cut, the soft ware automatically adjusts the cutter back gauge and displays instructions for the following step. Operator instructions are provided in both a written and audible format and include paper rotation, discarding of scraps, and placement of stacks on the workbench for future steps. Open new revenue opportunities for your business with this safe, inexpensive and efficiency driving workflow. The VRCut Ready Triumph Cutter 5260 retail price is less than $15,000. Visit booths 3200 (MBM) and 4007 (Lytrod Software) to test out the VRCut Ready Triumph Cutter 5260 workflow today! PrintingNews.com/12427779

September 2018

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September 2018

Printing News

Sign Connection:

Workplace Communication:

How Digital Signs Can Help Increase Productivity R esearch shows that businesses lose 20 to 30 percent of their revenue a year because of inefficiencies, according to the International Data Corporation. How can companies overcome this and create a more productive, well-organized environment for their employees?

By Emily Shuler Local Social Media and Content Specialist

San Ramon Community Center: Community center digital displays can give visitors a quick look into what’s happening in your community.

Find this article at PrintingNews.com/12427538

A good place to start is by ensuring that you have effective workplace communication. One way to do that is by having digital signs with content that keeps employees informed and operations running smoothly. To do this, place digital displays or stand-alone kiosks in common areas and employee break rooms to communicate timely messages such as safety updates, company news, employee recognition, upcoming events, motivational messages, etc. Regularly updating the content and sharing timely news helps employees feel engaged and stay on top of what is going on with the company. Implementing a digital wayfinding and directory system can help people quickly and efficiently find their way around. The digital signs can be easily updated when offices or meeting rooms are changed or relocated. There are also digital sign solutions to identify if a room is in use or vacant. Manage workflow processes and get status updates in real-time using digital production displays. Employees and supervisors can see operational status and what remains to be completed. The use of interactive displays offers a variety of benefits including helping employees, customers and visitors check-in, speeding up order

Wide-Format & Signage

September 2018

Hospital Kiosk: Digital kiosks make the check-in process easier and more efficient for both patients and employees.

processing, and helping people ﬁnd the right information at the right time. For digital signage to be effective, it’s crucial to determine the messaging goals and decide who (whether in the organization or an outside agency) will be responsible for creating and managing the digital content. To keep employees engaged, messages need to be updated regularly, easy to read and understand, and visually appealing. Having an effective digital sign program in place gives employees another great way to stay informed and productive in the workplace, and ideally, help companies improve their business.

Help tenants and guests easily find their way with a digital directory.

Article provided by FASTSIGNS International, the largest and most successful signage and visual graphics company in the world, with over 685 locations in 9 countries.

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